Urban Art Project

Great Falls Urban Art Project

When the City of Great Falls built the parking garage on the corner of First Avenue South and Fourth Street, they thoughtfully added eleven display windows surrounding the outside walls, but they were rarely filled, until 2005. Now, the Great Falls Urban Art Project (UAP) annually presents three exhibitions of site specific art installation pieces which fill the eleven windows. The Great Falls Urban Art Project makes downtown Great Falls, MT more interesting and lively with its wide variety of art displays. The UAP installations all enhance the downtown and honor the creative spirit of our city. Donations from the Business Improvement District, NeighborWorks Great Falls, the City of Great Falls Parking Project, individuals, local businesses and the Great Falls Downtown Association provide funding for the project.

Great Falls artist Jean Price proposed using the windows for revolving community art displays, borrowing the idea from artist friends in Missoula, who began using vacant downtown stores as temporary art galleries. “As I drove by the parking garage here, I noticed that there were always empty spaces there (in the display windows) and that the filled ones had begun to fall into disrepair for lack of attention,” Price said. “My Missoula friends came to mind and I decided to ask the Downtown Great Falls Association if it would be possible to use the display windows for art installations.”

The first 11 art projects were in place on a few months later, and with continuing support from the Business Improvement District, the city of Great Falls Parking Program, Paris Gibson Square Art Museum and a long list of financial sponsors, the UAP has continued unabated for many years.

Artists are encouraged to use nontraditional mediums in the creation of their work that can withstand the climate changes expected during the 3-month display period. They are expected to plan carefully, and effectively use the 3D space afforded them in a way that reads well from the sidewalk.

“The artists have complete latitude, other than a reminder that the UAP is a public space where they must be respectful and to leave the interpretation of their ideas partially up to the viewer,” Price said. “I also ask that they not simply hang their usual art on the wall, but rather step outside of their usual box of art-making and into this one.”

Each of the 11 spaces is sponsored by a business, organization or individual. The displays are changed, and sponsors have the option of underwriting a whole year’s worth of art, or a single three-month exhibit. The money raised is used to pay each artist a stipend to offset the cost of materials and to maintain the planting beds, trees and banners that surround the display windows.

Since the UAP began, artists from as far away as New York, California and Texas have contributed their works, but the space is primarily filled by local artists. The project has become so popular that display space is usually booked well in advance.

“There are artists who have created several unique exhibits and others who only attempt the complexity of the spaces once,” Price noted. “I do not know what the artists are coming up with until they send publicity materials, and I have rarely been disappointed with the results.”

The UAP windows change three times a year, usually in October, January and the April. The Urban Art Project is a highlight of the Art Tours developed by the Downtown Great Falls Association. Each theme of the tour is different and includes a progressive dinner and tours of galleries throughout Great Falls.

“Great Falls has a strong history of support for the arts with the CM Russell Museum and Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art,” Price said. “The Urban Art Project is another proud addition to the galleries in the downtown area.”

Jean Price passed away in 2019. Her work is displayed at Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art. Jean held Master's Degrees in both Sculpture and Fiber Arts; was a thirty-five veteran of art education; served four terms on the state legislature; served on the PGSMOA's board and multiple committees; and was a founder of the GFHS Dahl Gallery and Urban Art Project. She was an amazing woman.

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