Instrument Shop

Instrument Shop is a hands-on youth program where it’s all about building musical instruments. Located in Missoula, MT, we are a fully-equipped workshop with open hours six days a week serving primarily ages 11-17. Using a woodworking foundation, students build mostly electric guitars, along with banjo, harp, percussion, and so many more instruments. On Thursdays and Fridays we have Pipe Organ Club, where we're building the 49-note Spiral Organ, which we started in July, 2023. We're nearing completion of this epic contraption, and soon we'll begin group-designing our third pipe organ here.

This program aims to build confidence and ability in young people. A workshop of care and camaraderie is essential to reaching this goal. Your donation helps us hire a staff able to bring the kids workshop knowledge, musicality, warmth, and a sharp awareness of their surroundings. Please help us keep it going.

Your donation supports:

Scholarships for youth to build epic instruments

Workshop costs

Paying staff

Marketing and program development

+++ SEEKING MATCHING DONORS for when we reach our goal of $65,000. It could be a half, or quarter match; please launch us forward. With matching donors we will especially be able to hire staff to build out the program. +++

Ages 11-17:

Woodworking

Design

Flow state

Social

Kind

Epic projects

Confidence

Job skills

Ben Simon is a licensed teacher in the state of Montana. He has 19 years of experience in the woodshop, a degree in social work from the University of Montana, 7 years working for Youth Homes, and has been a musician his whole life. Please help keep this youth empowerment program alive and well. And come by the shop sometime for a visit and see what we're building over here.