The Montana Department of Commerce announced the launch of a new online mural project showcasing exterior murals located in communities participating in the Montana Main Street Program.
The new webpage features an inventory of murals from Montana Main Street Program communities and is designed to promote visitation while highlighting local culture, history, and artistic expression. The Montana Main Street Program provides competitive grant funding to member cities and towns for downtown revitalization, development, and historic preservation projects, as well as technical assistance to participating communities.
As part of the mural project, Commerce staff compiled an inventory that currently includes 117 murals across the state. Visitors to the website can explore a map showing mural locations and learn about the meaning and stories behind each artwork.
Commerce Director Marta Bertoglio said the murals reflect the identities and histories of Montana communities and provide a way to make local stories more visible and accessible to residents and visitors alike.
The project highlights a wide range of murals, including “The Good Hunting Grounds” in Broadus by artist Miah Chalfant Real Bird. The mural depicts the history of Powder River County, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe’s traditional hunting grounds, and the area’s early settlers. In Great Falls, “The 406 Mural” was created during a community workshop where residents learned spray-paint techniques and collaborated on the piece, later finished by local artist Cameron Moberg with an overlay of Montana’s 406 area code.
Several murals featured in the project were created by local high school students. One example is the “Deep Creek Pizza” mural in Townsend, a colorful depiction of Montana scenery painted on one of the town’s oldest buildings.
State officials said the murals serve multiple purposes, including enhancing public spaces, fostering community pride, encouraging local engagement, and supporting cultural and artistic expression. The mural project was developed collaboratively by Commerce staff as a tool for both tourists and residents to discover public art in Montana Main Street communities.
The project is ongoing, and Montana Main Street Program communities are encouraged to continue submitting mural photos to expand the online inventory.
The Montana Main Street Program currently includes 38 communities statewide. Established in 2005, the program is administered by Commerce’s Community MT Division and funded through Senate Bill 540.