Giving Art To Missoula
About Giving Art To Missoula
Giving Art to Missoula rescues art, craft, music, and hobby supplies and puts them back into the hands of artists, educators, students, parents, teachers, and community groups. In Missoula, that means affordable materials, donated instruments, and school supply offerings in a space built around access and reuse. If you care about keeping creative tools within reach and out of landfills, this is the kind of local nonprofit that makes that possible.
What stands out here is how practical the idea is. You can bring in supplies, find them at a pay-what-you-can creative reuse center, and even see music materials and donated instruments included in the mix. The focus on sustainability gives every donated item a useful next chapter.
Programs
The concrete work this nonprofit runs. Each program may later become a fundable project.
Pay-What-You-Can Free Art Materials Room
A low-barrier creative reuse store with new and gently used art, craft, music, and hobby supplies available to the community.
Donation Pickup and Donation Days
Accepts supply donations at the Missoula location, offers pickup appointments, and manages donation days for smaller drop-offs.
Skye Berns Music Division
Provides gently used instruments and music-related supplies to the community at affordable prices, and some items are offered free.
School Supply Offerings and Field Trips
Offers bulk materials for classrooms, events, and seminars, and welcomes field trips focused on sustainability and access to supplies.
Monthly Craft Circle
A recurring craft gathering where people can create together with materials provided and support the organization through suggested donations.
Community Donation Box Program
A program to place creatively decorated drop-off boxes in local businesses and community spaces for gently used art, craft, music, and hobby supplies.
About this work
In their own words — what they do, who it reaches, and what your dollars actually fund.
Mission
Giving Art to Missoula offers the local artisanal community affordable art and music materials. It prioritizes waste management and sustainability by rescuing and repurposing items that would otherwise end up in landfills, redistributing them to artists, educators, and underserved communities. It creates a safe space that encourages growth, expression, and connection.
Who they serve
Artists, educators, students, crafters, parents, teachers, nonprofits, and other community members who need affordable art, craft, music, or hobby supplies.
Their impact
- Over 30 local organizations partnered with GAM in 2024.
- 124 volunteers helped build infrastructure, sort supplies, and provide feedback in 2024.
- The community volunteered 625 hours in the first year.
- More than $16,000 in in-kind donations were received last year.
- 12,865 items were donated and 1,275 items were distributed back into the community.
- A peer-to-peer fundraiser and end-of-year fundraiser brought in $1,300.
How your donation helps
- Keeping the pay-what-you-can store open and stocked with supplies
- Supporting the Skye Berns Music Division and donated instruments
- Helping fund mobile pickups and donation processing
- Supporting community events and creative reuse programming
- Supporting a needed pickup truck for donations and outreach
Our story
Amber Kurzenbaum got the idea for Giving Art to Missoula through conversations about how expensive art materials had become, how little space people have to store and practice with supplies, and the idea of a free art supply closet in California. She carried that idea into Missoula as an art supply thrift store, took nonprofit courses, earned a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership, and opened the organization in a physical location.
Need help?
How someone in need can access Giving Art To Missoula’s services.
People can visit during donation days to shop the pay-what-you-can store, and larger hauls can be handled by appointment. Educators can request bulk materials for classrooms, events, or seminars, and groups larger than eight people can email info@gammissoula.org to plan a field trip.
Stories
The people behind the work.
In their words
It's a good day to be at GAM!
GAM has filled my heart.
This small, but very much needed, organization recycles art supplies by giving them away.
Events
GAM Giving Circle
monthlyA monthly giving craft circle where participants make art together and support the store and instrument program through a suggested donation.
Craft Club
recurringA community craft gathering with provided materials and guided projects.
Spooky Craft Cinema
annualA fundraiser with crafting, silent auctions, and a theater event.
Grand Opening!!!
2024-04-14The opening event that introduced the Free Art Materials Room and local vendors.
Art on the Move
2026-04-12A fundraising celebration that included snacks, music, games, art, raffles, and a pickup truck campaign.
Ways to help
Concrete needs and volunteer roles Giving Art To Missoula has shared.
Current needs
- A much needed pickup truck
- Volunteers to sort and process donations
- Local businesses and gathering spaces to host community donation boxes
- New and gently used art, craft, music, and hobby supplies
Volunteer opportunities
- Sorting and processing donated materials
- Helping during donation days
- Supporting events and fundraising activities
- Providing feedback and help with building infrastructure
Partners & funders
In the news
Articles featuring Giving Art To Missoula from the Love What You Fund newsroom.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this nonprofit and how its work happens.
Is GAM a free store?
It started as a free community resource, and now it uses a pay-what-you-can model. Some items have suggested prices so the space can stay open while keeping access broad.
Can schools use GAM for supplies or visits?
Yes. Educators can request bulk materials for classrooms, events, or seminars, and field trips are welcome too.
Does GAM host workshops or creative gatherings?
Yes. It has started a giving circle and offers craft gatherings such as Craft Club.
How do larger groups visit GAM?
Groups larger than eight people can email info@gammissoula.org so the team can prepare ahead of time.
Similar nonprofits
Other arts education nonprofits in MT.