GREAT FALLS — Beneath the historic Columbus Hospital building on Second Avenue North lies The Spacement, an underground creative hub that few know about—but those who do, understand its significance.
“We would love to talk about art. The bands that come down here to practice. I mean, whatever you want to,” said Kyle Daugherty, Creative Director of The Spacement.
An Underground Arts Scene Flourishing in Montana
Despite Montana not being widely known for its alternative culture, a thriving artistic community is making waves in Great Falls.
“The Spacement is kind of an artist collective, right?” explained co-founder Seth Lutter. “We have musicians, we have visual artists, we have writers… If you know, you know. And if you don’t know, a lot of times people go, ‘Where is that?’ And we go, ‘Oh, you don’t know yet.’”
Co-founder Cale Younce described it as a haven for creatives who might not fit into the mainstream arts scene.
“People that aren’t part of the mainstream in the music scene or the art scene—a little bit of kind of the fringe artists and underground musicians—it’s a place for them to experiment and hone their craft,” Younce said.
A Passion for Art Over Profit
While The Spacement does have a business aspect, it is more of a byproduct of the collective’s artistic vision rather than a primary focus.
“I think in order for it to be a business, you kind of have to show profit, which we’re not super profit motivated,” Younce added.
Daugherty echoed this sentiment, explaining how their merchandise reflects their artistic identity.
“The art we’re putting on the shirts is very Montana-centric, but it’s not your run-of-the-mill, like, ‘Live, Laugh, Love Montana’ stuff,” he said. “It’s nature, or it’s dysfunctional. It’s bringing light to the fact that we’re losing culture daily.”
Revitalizing Alternative Art in Great Falls
Despite its reputation as a quieter Montana city, Great Falls has a bubbling creative scene that The Spacement hopes to amplify.
“Whenever you hear people talk about Montana, Great Falls is always kind of at the bottom of the list,” Lutter admitted. “But Great Falls has some really cool things happening and really good artists making really good art for the sake of making art.”
Younce hopes to challenge the city’s reputation and encourage people to see the creative community for what it truly is.
“Great Falls has a bad rap. You talk to someone from Missoula, and they’re like, ‘Great Falls sucks.’ You know? Like… yeah, just keep thinking that,” he said. “Because Great Falls is pretty cool. There’s some cool stuff here.”
For those who manage to find their way into The Spacement, it’s more than just a hidden venue—it’s a movement.
“If you come up to any of us, we’d love to talk about it,” Daugherty said. “We thrive on talking about it.”
