Holiday Clay Pop Up Shop Returns to Downtown Helena, Supports Local Artists
The Clay Arts Guild of Helena opened its 20th annual holiday pop up shop in the former Joslin’s Furniture location at Euclid Avenue and North Benton Avenue, offering work from about 50 local artists and operating daily through December 24 except Mondays. The shop directs 75 percent of sales revenue to artists and 25 percent to expenses, a revenue model that matters for artist income, downtown activity, and local arts policy decisions.
The Clay Arts Guild of Helena launched its holiday pop up shop on December 3 and the seasonal storefront is currently open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Mondays through December 24. Located at the corner of Euclid Avenue and North Benton Avenue in downtown Helena, the shop features mugs, plates, ornaments, vases and other handmade items from about 50 local clay artists.
The guild began in 1999 and operates as a nonprofit with more than 100 practicing clay artists. It provides a community workspace, classes and seminars in addition to organizing sales opportunities like the holiday pop up shop. For this event the guild allocates 75 percent of profits to participating artists and retains 25 percent to cover expenses, an explicit revenue split that informs both artist compensation and organizational sustainability.
For residents this seasonal shop is both a retail option and a civic signal about how arts organizations contribute to the local economy. The presence of a multiweek, artist staffed storefront on a previously vacant commercial corner increases foot traffic downtown during the holiday shopping season and creates direct revenue for individual makers. The guild’s use of shared workspace and educational programming also supports community engagement by offering training and collaboration opportunities for emerging and established artists.
From a governance perspective the pop up illustrates a set of policy considerations for county and city officials. Reusing vacant retail space for temporary cultural and commercial activity reduces blight and can be a low cost strategy to boost activity in downtown corridors. Transparent revenue arrangements like the guild’s 75 percent artist allocation provide a model for accountability when public funds or partnerships are considered for arts programming. Municipal decision makers evaluating economic development, zoning flexibility or small venue permitting may weigh the measurable benefits to artists and to neighborhood vitality when setting priorities.
The Clay Arts Guild’s holiday shop is a reminder that local arts infrastructure supports personal livelihoods, public life and downtown commerce. Residents interested in local handmade gifts or in the guild’s classes can visit the Euclid and North Benton location through December 24, noting the shop is closed on Mondays.
