(bright music) - The Helper Project fosters revitalization and preservation, encourages economic development, and promotes cultural connections for this city and its citizens.

Here to tell us more about the organization, is Keith Bateman.

Hi Keith, welcome.

So, the project has raised a lot of money for cultural and educational historical groups there.

Tell me how you started it.

- Well, Helper was, Helper city was the economic and train set central location for all the coal mining towns in Carbon County.

And over the last several decades, that's been in decline.

So there's been a lot of poverty, a lot of issues that needed to be addressed.

About six years ago, Ann and Roy Jespersen started the Helper Project, to raise money to help with the economic development of the of the town, the historic preservation scholarships, and art and cultural events.

- Oh, that's great.

And I know you've got some artists who have donated paintings that you'll be auctioning off to help raise funds.

- Correct.

Yeah, helper is a center for probably about 30 artists.

A lot of 'em are world renowned, and that's been developing over 20 years.

And a lot of those people, those artists have don donated paintings for our event on September 30th, in Helper, to raise money to continue the work that The Helper Project does.

- Well, and Helper's become pretty well known for being a little arts center now.

- Yeah, it has.

- Yeah.

And so you've got new residents.

you've got older residents, you've been there a while.

You've got, it's really a mixed community.

- Yeah, it really is.

You've got generational people.

You've got people that moved there 20 years ago when David Dornan, who is a professor of art at the University of Utah head of the department, I believe.

And he started doing workshops there.

And then you have people, artists that have come over the last 20 years, then you have over the last decade, you have a lot of people like me, that have kind of founded, and settled in Helper.

- Which is great.

Well, I'm glad you're doing this, and thanks for being here.

- Thanks.

- And if you'd like to know more about what's happening with The Helper Project, and the big fundraiser September 30th from two to six, it's at Helper Beer on North Main Street in Helper, Utah, Go to thehelperproject.net.

That's, thehelperproject.net.

(bright music) I'm Mary Dickson.

Thanks for watching "Contact."

(bright music continues) - Local events, arts, culture.

It's what brings us together.

Hi, I'm Mary Dickson.

Here on Contact, we introduce you to local events and organizations that serve your neighborhood.

If you work for a nonprofit and would like to appear on our show, please visit pbsutah.org/contact.