We share the healing powers of the arts by connecting patients, care providers, and all those in need with simple, meaningful opportunities to experience and create art.
Our mission is to integrate the innate healing benefits of the arts into all aspects of wellbeing, in order to empower self-discovery, resilience, and hope for those in need.
Art fosters a positive, healing environment that benefits caregivers and patients alike. Art helps patients with a vast array of challenges – chronic illnesses, mental health issues, injuries, disease, and more. For those facing challenges and trauma, art has the power to heal.
Research has shown the great benefits of the arts in healthcare – hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, senior centers, and more. In situations where people may feel isolated, frustrated, or bored, exploring a creative practice provides a soothing, positive distraction proven to support well-being in body and mind. Art helps improve mood, decrease the perception of pain, reduce stress, increase self-esteem, and elevate feelings of hope. It has even been shown to shorten recovery times and the average duration of a hospital stay. Art improves quality of care and quality of life.
This program, in partnership with St. Peter’s Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, and West Mont, provides the Helena healthcare community with free holistic healthcare alternatives to healing.
Mobile art carts move about St. Peter's Health with numerous mediums of art from sketch pads and water colors to journal packs, allowing patients access to as many methods of creativity as possible. We currently have 3 Art Carts, one in the Cancer Treatment Center, one of the oncology floor, and one in the Behavioral Health Unit.
"Create While You Wait" - these stations in waiting rooms and break rooms in St. Peter's Health include self-directed art projects and prompts for patients, their families, and healthcare employees to express themselves.
Fully assembled packs are available to patients in multiple departments in St. Peter's Health and for delivery in the Helena area. The packs have various themes including journal, sketch, and coloring.
Small, supervised classes are available for groups of patients in the Behavioral Health Unit, providing art activities to help work through traumatic experiences for adults going through crisis situations.
The Holter Healing Arts Program has partnered with St. Peter’s Health Behavioral Health Unit to curate an exhibition gathering all the work from BHU patients over the past year. The projects portrayed in the exhibit help provide patients in the BHU with an outlet to express themselves creatively.
Museum Hours:
Tues – Sat: 10 am – 5:30 pm
Sunday: 12 pm – 4pm
FREE ADMISSION
12 E. Lawrence St.
Helena, MT 59601