Teen Art Project: Summer Session

2025 Summer Teen Art Project (TAP) is a free, immersive program for high school students ages 13 18. This year’s project invites teens to explore the vital role of Montana’s keystone species bison, beavers, and prairie dogs through collaborative mural-making, environmental education, and creative expression.
“Summer TAP creates a space at MAM where high school students feel valued, heard, and empowered to contribute to cultural and civic discourse. This public art program is happening in downtown Missoula and is free to all teens." --- Kay Grissom-Kiely, Curator of Education
TAP participants will work alongside professional artist Joanna Laporte, with mentorship from Janaína Vieira-Marques, a MAM educator, artist, and public art specialist. Over the course of the summer, students will collaborate to create a mixed-media original artwork that will be featured on a 14'x10' exterior mural located at the Adventure Cycling Association in downtown Missoula. The mural site, which has been a key location for public art since 2021, will showcase the interconnectedness of these three species and their vital role in Montana’s landscape. The program will also produce 500 24"x30" posters to highlight the significance of these animals to the community.
This project ties into the artwork of Jason Elliott Clark, an artist and printmaker, and Stephen Hunt, a photographer, whose works will be on display at MAM from May through August 2025. Their art focuses on the themes of environmental impact, natural systems, and the importance of beavers, bison, and prairie dogs to Montana’s ecosystems.
TAP participants will explore these themes through research, guest speakers, and hands-on art creation. They will work alongside experts including Torrey Ritter, a biologist from Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks; Elissa Chott, a Beaver Specialist from the National Wildlife Federation; and Rob Roberts, an ecologist from Montana Trout Unlimited. In addition, the program will include presentations from the artists themselves, Jason Elliott Clark and Stephen Hunt, who will share their insights on the intersection of art, nature, and Native history.