The C. M. Russell Museum in Great Falls honors the work of Charles Russell, whose mural Lewis and Clark Meeting the Flathead Indians adorns the capitol in Helena. Other fine art museums include the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Yellowstone Art Center at Billings, and the Missoula Museum of the Arts. Orchestras are based in Billings and Bozeman. The Equinox Theater Company is also a popular attraction in Bozeman.
In 2003, the Montana Arts Council and other Montana arts organizations received grants totaling $782,600 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The Council has also received funding from state and private sources. Montana has an estimated 500 arts associations and 20 local arts groups. The Montana Arts Council assists the Missoula Museum of the Arts and the Judith Cultural Committee.
The Montana Committee for the Humanities (MCH) was founded in 1972. In 2000, the MCH sponsored its first annual Montana Festival of the Book in downtown Missoula, bringing together writers, readers, and entertainers from across the state. In 2000, the National Endowment for the Humanities contributed $558,952 to 12 state programs.