Mural ideas sought for Havre Art Alley as spring celebration approaches

As preparations are under way to hold a second Spring Celebration in Havre's Art Alley, groups behind the project to jazz up the alley are looking for ideas for murals to put on its walls.

Downtown Havre Matters! and Hi-Line Arts Council are making the call for suggested murals for the alley.

Havre'a Art Alley, which connects Third and Fourth avenues in downtown Havre, has been adorned with lights that zig-zag the length of the alley and will be a focal point for future outdoor artwork and art events, including a large mural that is expected to span a significant portion of the alley, using the backside of buildings as the "canvas," the groups said in a press release.

"The Hi-Line Arts Council, in partnership with the Art and Beautification Committee of Downtown Havre Matters!, is very excited about the continued use of the Art Alley as a wonderful example of how a rural community can be deeply involved in providing public art in unexpected places and making the community a better, more lively and more interesting place to live and work," Arts Council Chair Grant Olson said in the release. "We now want local artists to submit to us their very best work or ideas that may be selected as the mural that will be placed on the back of the buildings that will make the Art Alley even that much more special."

To submit a design for the proposed mural, people can email their idea, sketch or concept to [email protected] no later than Friday, April 15.  The Arts Council, in coordination with downtown businesses and the Art and Beautification Committee of Downtown Havre Matters!, will select the winning design.

"We know public art can have a significant, lasting and positive impact on a community, so we are especially happy to help coordinate the continued development of Havre's Art Alley," Olson said. "The Arts Council looks forward to receiving input and ideas about what the next phase of the Art Alley might look like through the submission of mural concepts."

The alley is a continuation of work to spruce up downtown Havre, including Downtown Havre Matters! and the Havre/Hill County Historic Preservation Commission putting up art and photo murals on downtown businesses and putting up decorative bicycle racks downtown.

Downtown Havre Matters!, started working about two years ago to clean up the alley and string lights to create an area to hold events.

Work has continued on the alley, including Montana State University-Northern student LillieAnne Mecklenburg painting a dumpster in the alley last year.

Members of the groups have said the purpose is to take a well-traveled alley that needed a little work anyway and to jazz it up and use it as an area to hold events.

April of last year saw the first Spring Celebration, which was a major success, with people decorating the alley and sidewalks outside it, as well as live music and beverages.

Olson said at 6:30 p.m. at last year's celebration that he was guessing about 500 people had been to the event by that time, with it scheduled to continue to 8 p.m.

Havre City Council this week approved shutting down the alley, Fourth Avenue between Second and Third streets and the south half of Third Avenue between Second and Third streets for the celebration, which will include live music, art events and beverages available for purchase from Crawford Distillery and Montana Actors' Theatre.