Nobody can disagree that McCall and Donnelly occupy especially beautiful corners of the globe, with recreational opportunities to match. Luckily for us, the arts and culture scene in the area is also vitally, vibrantly alive. Art is so much more than a Rembrandt in a formal museum and culture so much more than fancy tea in fine bone china…

The McCall Arts and Humanities Council is a nonprofit organization that works to promote and encourage the development of individual and community artistic vision and creativity. The Council runs programs in area schools in collaboration with local professional artists, summer programs for children of all ages, organizes Kaleidoscope, a children’s art festival, and fosters ongoing commitments with interested parties such as the McCall Public Library and the McCall Folklore Society. Not that anyone really needs it, but the Cabin Fever series truly has something for everyone – come discover the intricacies of Finnish log construction, the mysteries of chocolate and spice, attend a poetry workshop, learn to work with glass – there is almost no end to the possibilities.

The McCall Folklore Society was created over 30 years ago to present traditional and contemporary music and its proudest creation has been the Summer Music Festival at Roseberry. True to the spirit of free-thinking Idaho, it celebrates its character as an event dedicated to music, family and good times. No VIP tents here, folks. Also dedicated to music is the McCall Music Society . A talented group of musicians, they bring us Second Sunday Sounds @ Six at the McCall Community Congregational Church.

Every June, McCall is host to Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, a unique gathering of playwrights, directors, and actors for two weeks in a creative workshop process that has developed 73 new plays over the past nine years. The conference encourages participation by locals, offering a free playwriting workshop and showing its fully staged readings at McCall’s Alpine Playhouse. It’s always a very exciting opportunity to see a play truly come to life.

The Central Idaho Cultural Center and Museum is at 1001 State Street, and is comprised of 8 buildings constructed during the Depression, intended to serve as the summer headquarters for Idaho’s Governor. It features cultural and educational presentations and currently houses a regional museum and historical research archive focusing on prehistoric and historic use of resources such as mining, logging, recreation, fire suppression, and forest management.  Boys of all ages will thrill to the site of the massive Murray-Corliss engine which powered the Brown Tie and Lumber Company mill from 1940-1983.

The visual arts have a strong representation in McCall. At Three Forks Gallery, owners Bob and Linda Youde specialize in western, southwestern, wildlife and landscape works in various media including bronzes, metalwork sculptures, glasswork, and art furniture. The Youde’s regularly host artist receptions, and invite anyone with an interest in art to drop by for a look at their ever-changing walls. Artizen Gallery makes artful living an everyday art form. Whether you wish to decorate your walls or furnish your home, create scrumptious meals or peruse their collection of handmade jewellery, you’ll find something to delight your senses. Mountain living has a feel, a sense of style, and no one understands that better than McCall Mountain Accents. Their chainsaw-carved representations of iconic mountain creatures, such as bears and eagles, have to be seen to be believed.