Twenty students from Montana State University (MSU) showcased their skateboard designs at the 2026 Deck Show, held this month at Bozeman High School. The event brought together artists and skateboarders from across Montana to support skatepark projects in Bozeman and Ennis.
The MSU students developed their designs as part of a digital visualization class taught by graphic design professor Jeffrey Conger in the College of Arts and Architecture. Their work joined contributions from more than 40 local artists and students from Bozeman, Gallatin, and Ennis high schools. An online auction featuring these skateboards is open until February 26, with proceeds going to the Ennis Lions Club Skatepark and Skate Alliance of Montana.
A public reception for the show will take place on Thursday, February 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Bozeman High School. The skateboards will remain on display through early March in the Robert and Gennie DeWeese Gallery, which is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with check-in required at the main office.
“Deck shows have a long tradition in the skateboarding culture as catalysts to raise awareness and garner funding support,” said Conger. “This is a wonderful community opportunity for creatives to come together to support two exciting skatepark projects. The exhibition is the perfect collaboration between MSU students, high school students and community artists.”
Ennis aims to build a new 6,000-square-foot skatepark for its community. Local high school skaters met Conger during an Independence Day parade while fundraising for their project, leading to discussions about increasing engagement and exploring new ways to raise funds. After an author event at MSU connected with the Deck Show earlier this month, the Ennis Lions Club Skatepark received a $100,000 donation from authors Andy Kemmis and Chris Bacon along with the Montana Skatepark Association.
The nonprofit Skate Alliance of Montana also seeks funding for Bozeman-area skateparks through proceeds raised by this year’s Deck Show.
Students produced their boards using vinyl wraps applied with assistance from SCS Wraps Unlimited—a company run by MSU alumni based in Bozeman—using heat tools for finishing touches. Designs included images such as cows being lifted by alien spaceships or Mario racing down Rainbow Road.
Additional sponsors include Blazing Arrow Productions, Board of Missoula, Montana Skatepark Association, MSU’s graphic design program and World Boards. A $1,000 grant was awarded by MSU’s College of Arts and Architecture to co-curators Conger and Patrick Hoffman—art department head at Bozeman High School—to help fund the show.
“This project made me feel like design can make a difference in ways you didn’t expect,” said Skye Horowitz, an MSU junior majoring in graphic design who contributed artwork depicting wildlife under muted blue tones for her auctioned deck.
Horowitz described her interest in creating art that benefits others: she first explored graphic design after making promotional materials for a small business during high school that helped it connect with other organizations.
Caleb Busuttil—a junior studying graphic design—said working on his Mario Kart-inspired board influenced how he approaches other assignments: “Knowing I was able to make this skateboard as good as it was even though I had challenges with Procreate, it made me think I can push through and make something I’m proud of instead of going ‘This will be good enough.’”
Hoffman noted that his high school art students painted their decks by hand: “Having students experience exhibiting their work alongside college students and professional artists in our community is exciting in itself,” he said. “But I think anytime that students are seeing a fundraising component where art is directly enhancing a community project…that kind of exposure can be very exciting to a high school student.”
Montana State University serves communities across all counties through four campuses statewide according to its official website. The university has been recognized for its efforts supporting collaboration among faculty, staff, students—and stewardship benefiting both people and natural resources as stated on its site. As Montana’s land-grant institution headquartered in Bozeman with strong emphasis on research activity, MSU continues providing hands-on opportunities such as those featured at events like the Deck Show.
