For devoting her time, talent and vision to the Midvale Arts Council, Suzanne Walker was inducted into the 2025 Hall of Honors at the Midvale Performing Arts Center on July 30. Walker’s leadership and commitment helped shape the arts program in Midvale, which has introduced thousands of people to music, culture and the performing arts. 

“The arts are at the heart of what makes Midvale a connected and vibrant community,” said Midvale Mayor Dustin Gettel. “From the murals in our Midvale Main Arts & Culture District to the long-standing work of the Midvale Arts Council, creativity is part of who we are. Events like the annual Art Show and Hall of Honors remind us why it’s so important to recognize those who help shape that identity. Suzanne Walker is one of those people. 

“Her decades of service as a volunteer, mentor, organizer and advocate have left a lasting mark on our schools, families and creative spaces. From building up the Arts Council to helping transform Old City Hall into the Midvale Performing Arts Center, Suzanne has shown how much one person can accomplish when they lead with compassion, empathy and love. She represents the very best of what Midvale stands for.”

Walker and her husband, Wade, joined the Midvale Arts Council in 1995. At the time, the organization wasn’t hosting many events, but Walker decided to change that. In 1997, the council held its first community theater performance of “Forever Plaid” with a great response from residents.

Everything snowballed from there. Now, the Midvale Arts Council hosts a summer concert series, visual and literary arts competitions and holds outreach events at local schools to get kids excited about the arts. 

“My biggest joy was getting a grant from the Sorenson Legacy Foundation to bring the Missoula Children’s Theater into each of the elementary schools,” Walker said. “The Missoula Children’s Theater is amazing. They travel all over the country and all over the world, and they have everything to put on a production. They have costumes, lights, props, scripts and music; everything except the kids.” 

Walker said the impact of that experience was transformative for many children in Midvale, many of whom had never been exposed to live theater. Walker’s son started performing when he was in a Midvale kindergarten class and now he is a theater teacher.

“I love hearing how people’s lives have been changed [by the arts] and how they’ve grown,” Walker said. “They’ve come out of their shell. They’re a little more confident.”

Although Walker stepped away from the Midvale Arts Council seven years ago to spend more time with family, she still volunteers at events and is heavily invested in what she calls the “front porch” theory of community building found in Patrick Overton’s book, “Rebuilding the Front Porch of America.”

“The front porch used to be where we would gather, tell stories, share news, gossip, just be together. The front porches are going away,” she said. “The arts have become the new front porch. That’s where we gather, that’s where we celebrate, where we tell our stories, where we build community.”

Walker also spent years as a volunteer in elementary and high schools, even named Volunteer of the Year for her influence on Midvale youth. Currently, Walker is working with Days for Girls, an organization that increases access to menstrual care and education for girls around the world. 

“Suzanne has given so much to Midvale,” said Midvale Councilmember Bryant Brown. “Her selection for the Hall of Honors is not only well deserved, it is the very least we can do to recognize a lifetime of quiet, consistent and meaningful service. We are proud to celebrate her.”