To Organize an Art Walk…
Art Walk has 3 categories of participant to manage:
guest artists, hosts, + visitors, with the main goal to circulate visitors easily across downtown so they can - find new-to-them businesses,
- discover and celebrate Helena’s creative capital,
- and make meaningful connections with each other
Each have unique changing needs and questions in each phase of the event:
prep/planning, info management, + follow up.
That is 9 different sets of information products for each Art Walk season. The first two participant categories often have 100 participants, and visitor counts are in the thousands.
We know communication is KEY, and requires lots of prep / info sharing on website and social media, plus email and phone support.
Well, about 50 % of the 2024 Art Walk costs are covered by…
25% — Participation / Support fees
10% — Grant by Helena Business Improvement District
5-10% — Key Volunteer group (ie. gifted free labor)
8% — Community Donations
Since the Fall season of 2023 Omerta Arts has gifted the remainder of costs themselves so that this treasured event stays strong… about 50% of the costs totaling more than $16,000.
We are seeking a true downtown ‘Presenting’ partner to ensure we can continue to provide this event each season and costs to participants freeze or even decrease. Send supporters our way!
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~ 25 hrs. , 5 weeks prior:
- Google Intake Forms &
spreadsheet (9 total)- Website info updates for:
- landing page
- further description pages (2)
- products / purchases (9)
- sponsorship/behind scenes
- visitor incentives
- directory- Google Map of participants
- last minute arrangements -
For Web & Print:
- posters (~ 4 hrs)
- sticker (~ 2 hrs)
- laminate signs (~ 2 hrs)
- seasonal banners for web (~ 2 hrs)
- seasonal logo for social (~ 1 hr)
- signage for Trolley + stops (~ 2 hrs)
- signage for Fairy Doors (~ 2 hrs)
- signage for Photos (~ 2 hrs)
- Printed Map ( ~12 hrs)
includes 100 names, stamp
game (30+ participants),
- flag graphic, printing & assembly
(annually) (~ 15 hrs)
- detailed comparison charts (~ 5
- sponsorship graphics : -
transparency of costs
(annually) (~ 4 hrs) -
40-60 hours each season:
- Reminder Emails to: (~ 10-15 hrs)
- Artists 3x
- Organizations
- Hosts (3 versions)
- Volunteers (2x)
- Sponsors
- Inquiries / Q.+A. Responses ( ~ 10-20 hrs)- Notification of Artists + Host pairing with info for each (~ 7 hrs)
- Week-of email to all (~1 hr)
- Thank you emails to all (~1hr)
- Post Event Survey to Hosts (~1hr)- Post Event Survey to Artists (~1hr)
- Constantly update Master Spreadsheet after each email exchange (~5 hrs) -
~ 20-40 hours:
- Paid Contract Worker Hiring, Training & Contract Updates- Billing & Finance Reports
- Master Spreadsheet updates
- Coordination of all departments:
- Soc Media, Graphic & Web Design
- Email/Phone Support
- volunteers
- Grant Writing
- Major Sponsor relationship building
- Finance Tracking
- Radio Station / Newspaper liaison
+ Business Liaison: In-person visits, email, and calls
- check in to listen, educate, and gain feedback + take notes- update master spreadsheet
- pair up guests with hosts, & last minute changes
-
~ 40 hours of work each season:
- schedule creation &
implementation using META
- 50-70 posts per art-walk
- light graphic design work
- sensitive to support of host/artist
- create inviting scripts for each post -
~ 10 hrs., by volunteers
- pickup maps from printer (~ 15 min)
- place posters Helena area (~ 120 min)- deliver maps, signage fixtures downtown (~ 90 min)
- deliver fairy door items + donation boxes - and pickup (~ 90 min)
- Setup & Take-down Trolley Signage
(3:45pm + 8:05pm ~40 min)
- Setup & Take-down Red Carpet Structure/signs
(3:30pm + 8:05pm, ~40 min)
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Trolley Rides & Easy Parking
Thanks to our Major Sponsors
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Enjoy Live Arts!
You can now discover
visual artists
AND live music -
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Restaurants & Food Trucks
Can you smell that delicious food?!
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New Map & Bingo!
to highlight
Key Partners -
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Great way to catch up
It HAS been a while since we’ve seen you!
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Reusable Signage
Choose the style that suits your location
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Business-Artist
Easy checklist of contact
info and expectations -
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Advertising
the public will know
when to show up! -
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Dates
5 events between
now and 2025 -
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Key Packages
let visitors know
YOU are invested
Support your community
Support your community
Have Fun
Have Fun
✺ Frequently Asked Questions - for Businesses ✺
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Yes. You may personally approach or be approached by an artist(s) for the event. Let us know up to two weeks before the event about your decision.
This checklist will help you have your agreement with the artist(s) covered.
We also will take the time to match up registered businesses with un-assigned artist participants.
**Businesses receive discounts on registry for hosting a Social Club Member during Art Walk. -
No. Businesses do so much already!
With our Permiere Package we will deliver reusable signage you can display about the artist you host streamlining information for visitors. -
We realize that providing snacks and beverages can be tricky for a few different reasons. Do not feel pressured to do so for every event. Be clear with your artist about your intentions, and maybe they’ll pitch in.
See the checklist to make sure you cover all the topics when you discuss with them. -
Spread the word to other visitors, artists, and businesses.
And definitely send us a few words of encouragement — we’re doing this for you too!
(We also would love to hear your ideas for improving the future Art Walks). -
Misunderstandings during agreements happen when expectations are not established ahead of time.
Sometimes they happen regardless. We ask that you have an open conversation with your artist before deciding that Omertà Arts should get involved.
Contact Us with issues you believe need to know about now, and in the future -
We want to do this right.
Costs per event include:
running ads in the paper, social media and radio ($200+ each), printing full color posters and maps ($250+), trolley rental ($600+), special late night movie sponsorship at the Myrna Loy ($400+),
Reusable investments:
trolley event signage for pickup spots ($450, reusable), reusable signage for annual participants ($42 each), indoor signage for premiere businesses ($25 each)
Staffing Power ($x,xxx?)
design, update and delivery of printed maps, strategic matching of artists, musicians and food trucks with businesses, radio interviews, website design, help-desk, design of newspaper ads, and soc media ads plus posting tasks.
Clear communication with all parties involved, and someone to complain to who has some power to adjust the whole thing? Priceless.
✺
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Instead of balloons that never seem to stay put, Omertà Arts would like to provide the annual registered businesses with quality re-usable signage.
You’ll have a chance to see and select the product at checkout.
We can offer 2-3 resuable options:
1 - Window mounted suction cup flag (rectangular: 9’ tall by 21” wide) that sticks out into the street and should be mounted up high!
2 - Yard-style 48+ inch tall by 19 inch wide flag pole to hang a rectangular flag, placed into a large flower pot with your choice of anchor (rocks, cement… etc)
3 - solid surface flag pole mount as a permanent fixture on your building on which a removable 19” pole would hang a flag (exact product to be sourced soon!).
*Artwalk registrants interested in ONLY ONE EVENT will receive an official smaller disposable sign to display as a suction cup mount to their doors. -
Yes! and we encourage you to do so at either the basic level or the premiere package.
We both want to plan ahead.
$10 off per Artwalk that you include an Omertà Arts Social Club Member! -
Show off your sparkling participation by sending us pic or two in adequate lighting, without blur or distracting elements. Bonus points for one that includes a busy store of visitors or one with yourself and artist together.
info@OmertaArts.org -
You can expect roughly 3,000 visitors to wander around downtown for Art Walk events during favorable weather.
Some of them will enter your place of business.
NEW: In addition to hosting a visual artist, you may also request a musician from our list of those available for this event.
Many businesses find that visitors will stick around longer if provided free light snacks and beverages. Food Trucks will also be assigned spots along downtown where visitors can find larger portions. -
Leah & Chris and the Omertà Arts artists are here to uplift artists in our community.
You can encourage your artists to take a look at the Social Club, or even sponsor an artist or two into this annual opportunity ($90 each).
Businesses receive a discount of $10 each event for hosting an Omertà Arts Social Club Member Artist.
The Omertà Arts Social Club allows artists of a wide range of experience a chance to upgrade their creativity with seminars, promotional packages, critiques and other opportunities.
All the details will be published soon!
Find out how to get involved in the O.G. crew. -
Honestly, we’d rather artists invest in materials and courses to further develop their skills.
You can help keep the cost of Art Walk registration low or even free if you can send any sponsors our way to help cover the cost of the trolley, printing, advertising, and organization/design.