25 Sep Round Up: Landmark: The evolving footprint of Tinworks Art in Bozeman

In its ever-expanding engagement with art in the American West, Tinworks Art is opening another pathway for artists in Bozeman. This fall, the nonprofit adds to its Ida Street property by opening the Mill Building, a historic granary that’s been renovated to add 4,200 square feet to the Tinworks campus.

Converting these types of historic buildings into contemporary arts spaces plays a large role in Tinworks’s mission to support artists and their needs, explore the art of our time, and encourage community. The nonprofit arts organization launched in 2019 as a pop-up exhibit within a former fabrication and warehouse complex in northeast Bozeman. Since then, the Tinworks Art board has showcased a broad range of artistic talent each summer season. Recognizing the unique value of the historic buildings in the area, the board began restoring the Mill Building as an opportunity to incorporate history into the art experience, widening the conversation about art in the American West.

An architectural rendering illustrates how Minarik Architecture re-envisioned a historic granary that will now house Tinworks Art in Bozeman. MINARIK ARCHITECTURE

Now with an insulated and heated anchor building, Tinworks can accommodate shows year-round. The building includes office spaces and a large downstairs gallery that lends itself to the unique artworks Tinworks presents each year.

Before the renovation, the Mill Building remained uninhabitable, a remnant of Misco Mill’s granary. The building, one of only a few grain elevators constructed during the Great Depression, made use of crib construction that created walls strong enough to resist the pressure of thousands of tons of grain. Stacked planks, 2 inches tall and 6 inches wide, joined with spikes and overlapping corners, secured the structure.

Tinworks Director Jenny Moore and her team chose to preserve aspects of the Mill Building’s original construction to create a dialog with present-day art and the history of the region. Photo by SPEED CREATIVE

“We wanted to keep that original construction design,” says Tinworks Director Jenny Moore. “We also kept the original slab, which we ground down, buffed, and polished.”

The new building is set to open in October with the second act of Chisel & Razor: The Artistic Legacies of Edmonia and Samuel Lewis, which first opened in the Tinworks warehouse this summer and, as a two-part series, explores the stories of Edmonia Lewis, the first internationally acclaimed Black and Anishinaabe sculptor, and her brother, Samuel W. Lewis, a Bozeman-based performer, entrepreneur, and community leader.

The exhibition explores the stories of Edmonia Lewis, the first internationally acclaimed Black and Anishinaabe sculptor, and her brother, Samuel W. Lewis, a Bozeman-based performer, entrepreneur, and community leader. Photo by SPEED CREATIVE

In addition to an expanded campus, Tinworks is also adding programming in downtown Bozeman after taking over the Rialto last year. The nonprofit has a lineup of off-the-beaten-track films and presentations, including an ongoing In Conversation series that often ties in with shows at the Ida Street campus. Additionally, Tinworks has brought in a new stream of musical programming, which this year includes Rosanne Cash. In the future, Tinworks hopes to partner with other nonprofit organizations to fully utilize the space, and currently offers the Rialto as a mission-aligned event rental.

For more information about Tinworks Art, visit tinworksart.org.