MAPS – Lewis & Clark Program
Established: 2019
Location: 1015 Poplar Street, Helena, MT 59601
In Montana’s capital city of Helena, MAPS – Lewis & Clark County provides free, year-round media arts education through engaging after-school and summer programs.
Open to students of all skill levels from Helena and East Helena school districts, as well as private and homeschool communities, the program offers hands-on learning in filmmaking, design, music production, and new media technologies.
MAPS – Lewis & Clark County 2025-2026 Spring Session Afterschool Program
Classes run 4:00pm – 6:30pm on the dates listed below
• MAPS classes are always FREE-OF-CHARGE! •
• MAPS classes are for 8th to 12th graders •
• All abilities are welcome in all classes •
Mondays & Tuesdays, April 6 – May 19, 2026
Ever wondered why you can’t stop nodding your head to certain songs? In this class, you’ll dig into the heartbeat of all music: rhythm. From hand drums and shakers to MIDI control and sampling, you’ll explore percussion traditions from around the world – African, Latin, Celtic, polyrhythms and more – and discover how they all connect to the music you already love.
Along the way, you’ll learn to read basic rhythm notation, count in complex time signatures, and listen and respond like a real ensemble musician. You’ll leave with original compositions you built from scratch, a solid foundation in digital music production, and the rhythmic instincts to back it up.