The Wachholz College Center at Flathead Valley Community College opened its first public art exhibition in November 2022 with Gateway to Glacier.
The exhibition occupied the new Wanda Hollensteiner Art Gallery and drew from the permanent collection of the Hockaday Museum of Art.
A regional collection inside a new cultural venue
Artists represented included Rudy Autio, Charles Davis, Jeanne Hamilton, Neil Parsons, Kevin Red Star, Karen Leigh, Mark Ogle and Echo Ukrainetz.
The selection connected the new college facility with artistic practices rooted in Montana and the wider region around Glacier National Park.
The gallery formed part of a 58,000-square-foot arts and entertainment complex that also included McClaren Hall, a performance space seating more than 1,000 people.
Visual art and live performance opening together
The centre’s first concert featured the Canadian folk and bluegrass trio The Wailin’ Jennys. Visitors were able to explore the exhibition before the performance, linking the gallery and concert hall from the venue’s first major public event.
Construction had begun in April 2020, and the opening took place under a compressed schedule after delays in obtaining final occupancy approval.
The centre planned to change exhibitions approximately every three months. This established the gallery as a continuing programme rather than a decorative addition to the performance venue.
Gateway to Glacier gave the new institution an immediate visual identity. By beginning with works from an established regional museum collection, the gallery positioned itself within the cultural landscape it intended to serve.