Boise City Department of Arts & History

Boise City Department of Arts & History Providing leadership, education, services, and support for Boise art, history, and culture. Home of the James Castle House and the Erma Hayman House. Follow us!

Terms of Use: www.cityofboise.org/social-media-terms-of-use/ The City of Boise’s Department of Arts & History (A&H) was established by Mayor David Bieter and Boise City Council in March 2008, solidifying public commitment to serving and promoting Boise’s rich cultural diversity. More at www.boiseartsandhistory.org. Instagram: boiseartsandhistory
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08/13/2026

A new season of City Steps begins, with two tours ENHANCED!

Learn about Boise’s Chinese history with "Remembering Chinatown – Boise’s Vanished Neighborhood," now with oral history audio clips featuring members of Boise's Chinese community!

Explore how Boise’s rich immigration history has evolved into the modern day with "'We The People' Who Built Boise," now with viewfinders featuring historic photos!

Tours are offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10 a.m. Each tour covers 1.5 miles in about 90 minutes. Space is limited to 15 participants per tour. Tickets are $10 for residents and $15 for non-residents. Pay What You Can tours are August 29 and October 3 (min. $1).

Registration closes 30 minutes before the tour's start time and/or if the tour is full. To register and for Air Quality Programming Information, please visit boiseartsandhistory.org/Tours.

08/06/2026

ANNOUNCING…Clementine Zenner is the selected artist for the Erma Hayman House Sunroom Public Art opportunity. Coming January 2027, Zenner’s work will feature garment and fabric elements printed with domestic and historical images of the River Street neighborhood using cyanotype techniques.

As part of the opportunity, Clementine is seeking donations of antique materials, including plain white colored garments or fabric remnants from the 1940’s-1960’s. The artist is also open to donations of sewing notions, ballet shoes, sheet music or musical instruments, and embroidery hoops from the era.

Materials can be dropped off with the Boise City Department of Arts & History located at City Hall (150 N. Capitol Blvd.), Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. until September 15. Donors should expect to complete a short contact and narrative form on-site during drop off. The artist may contact donors for additional information. Donated materials are not guaranteed to be used in the installation.

Congratulations to Clementine Zenner and we can’t wait to see the finalized work!

We're pleased to announce the appointments of Aiden VanderStouwe and Astri Snodgrass to the Arts & History Commission. A...
08/05/2026

We're pleased to announce the appointments of Aiden VanderStouwe and Astri Snodgrass to the Arts & History Commission.

Aiden VanderStouwe earned his Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is a performing artist and producer as well as an Assistant Teaching Professor in Linguistics and Affiliated Faculty in Gender Studies at Boise State University.

Astri Snodgrass earned her MFA from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. She is a practicing visual artist and an Associate Professor of Drawing and Painting at Boise State University.

We also wish to extend our sincere gratitude to outgoing Commissioners Amanda Ashley and Kris Clegg who through their work on the commission and deep knowledge of and connections with the community contributed immensely to our work. Thank you for your service!

Read the full announcement to learn more about Aiden and Astri!

https://shorturl.at/sOu5H

Enjoy our Recipients' events this August! 🌿West Bench Farmers MarketThursdays, 5 p.m.📍Spaulding Ranch (3805 N Cole Rd....
08/03/2026

Enjoy our Recipients' events this August! 🌿

West Bench Farmers Market
Thursdays, 5 p.m.
📍Spaulding Ranch (3805 N Cole Rd.)

At the West Bench Farmers Market, you'll find farmers, artists, artisans, and cooks from around the world, offering a unique opportunity to shop locally with a global perspective.

Gemma Arts Music: Party at the Warehouse
Wed., Aug 5, 6 p.m.
📍The Warehouse Food Hall (370 S 8th St.)

Party at the Warehouse invites audiences to experience local talent in a relaxed, unconventional atmosphere. It’s part concert, part party, and fully Boise—showcasing regional musicians while encouraging community engagement and creative exploration. This event is free!

Starbelly School of Dance: Boise Raks
Thurs., Aug 6, 6:30 p.m.
📍Taj Mahal Restaurant (150 N 8th St., STE #222)

Join us for Boise Raks—a FREE, high-energy celebration of dance, music, and community! Experience the vibrant rhythms of Raks Sharki (Middle Eastern dance) alongside today’s popular music, followed by a beginner-friendly mini dance class and open dance party. No experience needed—just bring your energy and join the fun!

Story Story Night: United We Celebrate
Wed., Aug 26, 7:00 p.m.
📍Idaho State Museum (610 Julia Davis Dr.)

This special collaboration between the Idaho State Museum (Idaho State Museum) and Story Story Night (Story Story Night) activates the museum’s current exhibition, "United We Celebrate: The Traditions That Bring America Together." This storytelling event explores how historic and contemporary traditions connect us as a community, state, and nation. As the United States commemorates its 250th anniversary, come celebrate the stories that help us find common ground. Admission is $20.

The Boise Synth Society: Synths in the Park
Sat., Aug 29, 12:00 p.m.
📍 Gene Harris Bandshell at Julia Davis Park (700 S Captiol Blvd.)

Come enjoy an amazing day of live synthesizer performances, hands-on, and food trucks! This is a free event and everyone is welcome.

Boise Little Theater: Rock of Ages
Showtimes from Aug 28 - Sep 12
📍 Boise Little Theater (100 E. Fort St.)

A tribute to American rock music and how the American Dream is possible. Admission ranges from $20-25. Ages 14+.

More at boiseartsandhistory.org/Events

07/27/2026

Suzanne DeSoleil's (The ART of Suzanne DeSoleil) “Shared Sky, Shared Ground" (2026) explores the relationship between nature and art. In the work's final part of installation, DeSoleil, together with our team, planted seeds and flowers into each ceramic planter. Each hand-crafted container is irrigated by drip lines incorporated with support from Boise Parks and Recreation. We are excited to see the plants change with the seasons.

Discover Suzanne DeSoleil’s works on the fence located west of the Linen Building between 14th & 15th streets in downtown Boise. Now in its 14th year, the Linen District Fence public art opportunity invites artists to integrate artwork into a public space to reflect the diversity, culture, and economic vitality of the City of Boise.

The videos in this reel were recorded May 28, 2026.

07/21/2026

Summer 2026 James Castle House Resident CL Young’s final presentation is this Thursday, July 23, at 6 p.m. at The Common Well by Fort Builder!

CL Young is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, and facilitator based in Hailey, Idaho. Their work spans writing, performance, installation, and sound, to explore how time, place, and attention shape our experiences.

Doors open at 5:45 p.m. and the presentation begins at 6 p.m. Individuals can attend virtually via Zoom with American Sign Language interpretation provided.

For more information visit https://ow.ly/nRER50ZqYhn

Common Well Exhibition: "To Talk About Trees" (2025) by Kirsten Furlong. Used as video backdrop.

07/17/2026

Did you know our Collections Management team together with local contractors care for over 1,000 pieces of public art?

Get to know one of the many individuals who help keep artworks, like the Laiak sculpture by Ward Hooper, clean and beautiful for everyone to enjoy!

Jason Stephens, owner of Primo Cleaners, LLC, provides a much-needed service that directly impacts Boise’s streetscape. While we love to celebrate artists, spotlighting those who extend the artwork’s life is just as important.

We extend so much gratitude to Jason for helping maintain some of Boise's beloved public art!

07/16/2026

Hallie Maxwell is a Boise-based, Japanese American artist whose new murals can be viewed at the Boise Public Library and Erma Hayman House.

In part two of our interview, Maxwell shares the significance of her work at each site.

With "Reconnections”, Maxwell was inspired by the library as a beacon of research. The Awaji knots, a traditional Japanese decorative knot made with mizuhiki paper cord,

are photographed directly and mesmerizing to follow.

With "Reanimation: Looking North on Ash Street", Maxwell projected historic images of the River Street Neighborhood with the knots casting shadows to represent the stories yet to uncover.

07/14/2026

Two childhood friends, united by purpose: one renews water, the other captures it through art.

Idaho-based artist Wurt's Illustration holds Boise City’s Public Works crew in high esteem.

In Wurtenberger’s “Flow Seeker/Water Keeper” he sought to, “highlight the connection between the operation of these facilities and their direct result of cleaner, healthier habitats for riparian life,” after a friend started working at one of the City of Boise’s water treatment facilities. Anthony Harmon, a Public Works employee, became an inspiration behind the story of Wurtenberger’s piece along with his love for Boise’s nature.

Wurtenberger’s traffic box art captures the beauty of the Boise River perfectly, featuring recognizable landmarks from around Boise’s lush Greenbelt, and various figures enjoying the area in the variety of ways that people do, from walking to biking, and simply sitting and enjoying the view of the river. This box also features a brilliant blue heron at its forefront, yet another recognizable figure that graces our waterways.

On the complementing traffic box is a painting of a water renewal facility worker on the job, also vibrantly and aptly captured, and, again, an ode to those in Public Works.

“Flow Seeker/Water Keeper” can be found at the intersection of Capitol Blvd. & Myrtle St. Be sure to check it out!

07/09/2026

“A wish to be connected to someone forever.”

Hallie Maxwell is a Japanese American multidisciplinary artist based in Boise, Idaho, with two new murals featuring connected themes: “Reconnections” located at the Boise Public Library and “Reanimation: Looking North on Ash Street” at the Erma Hayman House.

In part one of our interview, Maxwell shares her process and art form involving the awaji knot, a traditional Japanese decorative knot made with mizuhiki paper cord.

This two-part mural series, located at the Erma Hayman House (617 Ash St., Boise) and Boise Public Library (715 S Capitol Blvd., Boise), is displayed for a six-month cycle, and features Boise artists Miguel Angel Almeida (Fall 2024 – Spring 2025), Gracieux Baraka (Spring 2025 – Fall 2025), Mungo Ligoya (Fall 2025 – Spring 2026), Hallie Maxwell (Spring 2026 – Fall 2026), and Carrie Applegate (Fall 2026 – Spring 2027). Each work builds on the history of the Erma Hayman House and the River Street Neighborhood. The mural series is funded in part by Capital City Development Corporation. Big thanks to Trademark Creative Studio for bringing these artists’ creations to life!

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150 N Capitol Boulevard
Boise, ID
83702

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Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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