Montana Arts Council Announces $20,000 In Funding for Public Art at MSU-Billings’ Life Sciences Building

• June 21 2021

The Montana Arts Council’s Percent for Art program has announced an opportunity for artists to contribute work to a new public space on the MSU-Billings campus, with $20,000 in total funds to be paid to successful applicants who apply by the July 15 deadline.

HELENA, Mont.—The Montana Arts Council’s Percent for Art program has announced an opportunity for artists to contribute work to a new public space on the MSU-Billings campus, with $20,000 in total funds to be paid to successful applicants who apply by the July 15 deadline.

MSU-Billings’ Life Sciences Building, designed by architect Mike Dowling of Dowling Architects, is a complex of three buildings combined into a single, functional facility for the MSU-Billings Life and Health Science programs. Classrooms, laboratories, an auditorium and offices combine to create an environment for learning and progressing through a rewarding college experience. Art for the facility is sought to highlight and complement building elements, or to tell a story with the sciences as its theme.

Established by the Legislature in 1983, Percent for Art provides that a portion of the funds for the construction or renovation of appropriate state buildings be allocated for the acquisition of works of art for inclusion in the space. “Percent for Art has been a key part of bringing art into Montana’s public spaces,” says Montana Arts Council Deputy Director Kristin Han Burgoyne. “In the last year alone, we’ve commissioned work for the new Southwest Montana Veterans Home in Butte and for the renovation of historic Romney Hall on the MSU-Bozeman campus. The program provides a great way for the public to engage with the arts while supporting working visual artists’ work as they contribute to Montana’s creative legacy.”

For eligibility details and to apply, artists may visit the Montana Arts Council’s site at https://art.mt.gov/percentforart. The deadline for submissions is July 15, 2021.

About the Montana Arts Council

In 1965 Montana Annotated Code 22-2-102 established the MAC as an agency of state government. The MAC mission is to develop the creative potential of all Montanans, advance education, spur economic vibrancy, and revitalize communities through involvement in the arts. Fifteen individuals appointed by the Governor oversee the Montana Arts Council. More information can be found at art.mt.gov

Additional Resources

Montana Arts Council, http://www.art.mt.gov/

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