The Helena Public Art Committee (HPAC) was created when Becky Eiker, a Helena resident and artist, expressed her desire in 1998 to donate a statue to the city entitled Extra! Extra!, a bronze statue of a newsboy. City officials accepted the gift and realized that others might be interested in making art donations. The City Commission passed Resolution No. 11316 and appointed an advisory committee comprised of artists, citizens at large and art administrators as the Helena Public Art Committee, reflecting a variety of visual and performing arts specialities found throughout the area.

In 2011 the City Commission began a pilot project to integrate four citizen advisory committees, including the HPAC, with the Helena Citizens Council (HCC). The 6-month project will determine whether or not the integration enhances both groups in meeting their goals. 

The mission of the Helena Public Art Committee is to promote public art works in the Helena community and to inform residents and visitors about the many pieces available to the public for their enjoyment. 

We hope you will use the links provided on this site to locate public art throughout the Helena area, find out how you can help the committee with new projects, where you can find additional information about public art, who the committee members are and more about our current projects. 

Join us on Facebook to see what's happening on Helena Montana's public art scene! 

Helena area artists and arts organizations are invited to participate in the 2012 Helena Open Studios Tour, an annual fundraiser by the Helena Public Art Committee (HPAC) to bring more public art opportunities to Helena.  This Tour invites the public to visit Helena area artists at work in their studios and to see the creative process.  The Tour also gives the public an opportunity to purchase art directly from the participating artists.

Due to the growing number of participating artists, the HPAC would like to:

- give the public more opportunities to tour the studios; 

- allow the participating Tour artists an opportunity to visit some of the other Tour artists’ studios.  

Therefore, the 2012 Open Studios Tour has been expanded to two days, Saturday, Sept. 22 and Sunday, Sept. 23.  The Tour time for both days is noon-5:00 PM.  

Artists and arts organizations wanting to participate in the 2012 Open Studios Tour may submit the Artist Information Form and the Organization Information Form with digital photos that can be used for publicity materials by emailing kmacefield(at)ci.helena.mt.us.   Participating artists may indicate their preference for which day(s) they would like to participate in the Open Studios Tour.

Tour applications must include $25.00 that is used for advertising the event and the participating artists’ studios.   Checks should be made to the City of Helena, identifying it as the HPAC Open Studios Tour on the lower left corner, and mailed to Helena Public Art Committee c/o City Planning, 316 N. Park Ave., Helena MT  59623.

Open Studios Tour applications are due March 19, 2012.