culture
Young Muralists Transform Billings Walls With Bold Local Stories
Young muralists under 30 are claiming walls across the city with work that mixes local history and current pressures.
How we reported this
Three murals finished in the first week of July by artists aged 24 to 28 now cover the south wall of the old grain elevator on 1st Avenue North and two panels along the alley behind the Babcock Theatre.
Street art here has grown from weekend tagging into a visible part of city planning, especially after federal spending cuts hit youth programs and local groups stepped in with small grants. Billings officials approved 12 new permitted walls this spring, the highest number since the public art ordinance passed in 2021.
The Downtown Billings Partnership runs the permit process and pairs artists with building owners on Montana Avenue. The Yellowstone Art Museum’s youth residency, which started in 2023, gave studio time and spray-paint supplies to eight participants last winter. Both groups list their open calls on the same website.
Recent commissions show scale
City records show the public art fund paid out $142,000 for 19 murals in 2025, an increase of $38,000 from the year before. Average payment per approved piece reached $7,500, covering design, lift rental and paint. Two of the newest works measure 22 feet high and took four days each to complete.
Next steps for viewers
Residents can find the current map and August open-studio dates on the Downtown Billings Partnership site. The next permitted wall deadline falls on July 28 for projects scheduled after Labor Day.