Holiday Pottery Shop Boosts Local Artists, Opens in Downtown Helena

The Clay Arts Guild of Helena opened its 20th annual holiday pop up shop on November 29 in the former Joslin’s Furniture building at the corner of Euclid Avenue and North Benton. The shop displays mugs, plates, vases, ornaments and other gift items from roughly 50 local ceramic artists, and will remain open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through December 24, with Mondays closed.

Financial terms for vendors are straightforward. Seventy five percent of each sale goes directly to the artist, while 25 percent covers shop expenses. That split means every one hundred dollars in sales delivers seventy five dollars to the creator, providing a concentrated seasonal revenue opportunity that many makers rely on for year end income.

The Clay Arts Guild was founded in 1999 and operates year round as a hub for ceramic practice by providing shared studio space, classes and community workshops. Organizers describe the holiday shop as a primary venue for both sales and visibility. For local ceramicists, the event combines direct retail, marketing exposure and peer networking in a compact market window at a time when consumer spending in the county typically rises for gifts and seasonal purchases.

The location choice carries economic significance for downtown Helena. Repurposing the former Joslin’s Furniture space draws foot traffic to a central corner and contributes to downtown vibrancy. Small scale retail events like this can reduce retail leakage outside the county by keeping holiday purchases local, and they help sustain year round creative infrastructure when artists earn revenue that supports studio fees, materials and class offerings.

From a broader market perspective, community driven holiday shops remain a durable channel for makers in an era of online marketplaces. Physical storefronts offer tactile discovery for pottery where buyers evaluate weight, glaze and balance in person. For Lewis and Clark County residents, the shop offers an opportunity to purchase locally made gifts while directing a large share of spending straight to area artists.

The pop up also functions as a public touch point for the Guild. By aggregating 50 local makers under one roof, the event amplifies individual artists beyond what many can achieve alone, strengthening the local craft sector and supporting the Guild’s mission of accessible studio space and education. The shop runs through December 24, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. except Mondays.