It's official--the Arts Council has purchased the building at 77 Lone Peak Drive (formerly Choppers restaurant), with the goal on transforming the space into an arts center. The building acquisition was made possible by an extraordinary lead gift from Big Sky resident and long-time ACBS supporter Don Grasso. Grasso is a passionate philanthropist who believes in paying forward his good fortune by giving back to meaningful causes. “I made this donation to honor my sister-in-law Patty Rhea and her husband Bob, who have inspired me to recognize the power of the arts,” said Grasso. “I hope this gift is transformational for the Big Sky community and inspires others to give generously too.”

The Rheas are Big Sky residents that have made significant contributions to the community for more than twenty years. Patty Rhea is a former curator and past ACBS board member who has been a champion for public art in Big Sky for a decade, spearheading such efforts as the Deborah Butterfield horse sculpture "Winter" located in the Town Center Plaza, and the upcoming Brad Rude sculpture "To the Skyland" to be placed in the Community Park in 2025. Bob Rhea is current board chair of the Moonlight Community Foundation.

"This is an amazing opportunity to revitalize an empty space and bring some more vibrancy into the Town Center," said Brian Hurlbut, ACBS Executive Director. "It has always been the organization's dream to have our own building, and we are truly excited for what the future holds."

We have big plans for the space, and have retained CCY Architects out of Basalt, Colorado, to help us achieve our vision. The attached rendering is just one example of what he hope to do! The Arts Council is planning on hosting an open house at the Christmas Stroll in the Town Center on Saturday, December 14, from 5-8. Please stop by, say hello and check out our ideas!

Read the Explore Big Sky news here!

We're happy to announce that our winter class registration is now open! We have many fun classes to choose from, including five and ten-week pottery classes (beginner and intermediate), beginner and intermediate stained glass classes, kids after school art programs, single-day community art classes and much more!

Classes are offered at various times of the day and week so you can fit them in with your schedule. And, thanks to the support of local community foundations and individual donors, all of our classes are structured on a pay-what-you-can model, giving you financial flexibility and eliminating the barriers for participation. We believe in Arts for All!

All classes are in our BASE are studio--no BASE membership is required to take our classes!

Click here for more information and we hope to see you in the studio soon!

The Arts Council's Music in the Mountains program was recently awarded a $24,500 grant from the Montana Department of Commerce. The Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant, which is offered through the Department of Commerce, will help fund the popular free concert series, assisting with infrastructure needs, signage and advertising.

The purpose of the Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant is to assist Montana's communities with destination events and new events that will increase tourism to include regional, national and international visitors, promote Montana's unique attributes and generate additional community revenue, with a focus on rural communities.

"We are very grateful to the State of Montana for supporting Music in the Mountains again for 2025," says Brian Hurlbut, Executive Director of the Arts Council of Big Sky. "It recognizes how important this program is not only to our local community, but to our statewide audience as well. As our event expenses continue to go up, grants like this are critical to our sustainability."

In 2024 more than 45,000 people flocked to Big Sky for the free outdoor concert series. The 2025 concerts are slated to start on June 26 and go through September 4. Lineup announcement will be coming in April, stay tuned!