Irvine Exhibition Combines Basketball & Art

Aerial view of four Great Park basketball courts transformed into works of art.

Four basketball courts at the Great Park have been transformed into bold, large-scale works of art by California artist Katy Ann Gilmore — creating a vibrant and immersive public art experience.

Created in collaboration with the Irvine-based nonprofit Project Backboard, the newly designed courts bring color, movement, and creativity into the heart of the park, inviting the community to experience the game in a whole new way. (Project Backboard has repaired and resurfaced public basketball courts with bold, large-scale artwork in more than 25 states and internationally in Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Portugal.)

The exhibit, GAME! Basketball and Contemporary Art, explores how basketball shapes art, culture, and identity by connecting the energy of the court with artwork from around the world.

The exhibition also features contemporary artists spotlighted in Common Practice: Basketball and Contemporary Art, illustrating how basketball’s aesthetics, movement, and visual language inspire artistic expression. The Great Park Gallery is open Thursday & Friday from 12 noon until 4pm, and Saturday & Sunday from 10am until 4pm. Admission is free.

Learn more about the new art exhibition here.