Wyoming Arts Council

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Wyoming Arts Council Helping Wyoming communities grow, connect and thrive through the arts. When creative activity is happening in Wyoming, it creates a significant ripple effect.

The economic vitality of an area is stimulated. Galleries, concerts and arts events mean more energy in a community, more tourists, more renovated buildings, and more new businesses. Through music, storytelling and visual art gatherings, people share experiences and ideas. They begin to understand each other in new ways. The arts have a profound effect on Wyoming communities and our state as a whole. WY arts orgs and artists -- please feel free to post your own arts-related status updates on our page.

The artistry of Wyoming's Sheridan-Style leather carving takes center stage in "I Am Only a Craftsman," a feature-length...
10/15/2026

The artistry of Wyoming's Sheridan-Style leather carving takes center stage in "I Am Only a Craftsman," a feature-length documentary exploring the craft and friendship shared by Sheridan leather carver James F. Jackson and Japanese leather artist Taka Otsuka.

Spanning two cultures and the Pacific Ocean, the film follows the artists through the world of leatherworking, highlighting the traditions, skills and personal connections that have helped carry Wyoming's distinctive carving style around the world.

Jackson spent nearly three decades creating custom leatherwork at King Ropes & Saddlery in Sheridan and was named a National Heritage Fellow by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2019, the nation's highest honor in folk and traditional arts. He continues his craft today at The Brinton Museum Leather Shop.

Directed by Salvatore "Max" Brown and produced by Shawn Parker, the documentary has received recognition at several international film festivals, including Best Director at the 2026 Spark of Madness Film Festival.

The film premieres online Friday, Oct. 16, at 8 p.m. MT, followed by its broadcast premiere on Wyoming PBS on Monday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m.

"I Am Only a Craftsman" was funded in part by Visit Sheridan, Wyoming, Wyoming Humanities and the Wyoming Arts Council.

Poetry Out Loud gives Wyoming high school students an opportunity to discover poetry, develop their public speaking skil...
10/15/2026

Poetry Out Loud gives Wyoming high school students an opportunity to discover poetry, develop their public speaking skills and bring powerful words to life through performance.

Through the exploration, memorization and recitation of poetry, students build confidence, strengthen their communication skills and discover new ways to connect with literature and express themselves.

The Wyoming Arts Council invites high schools across the state to participate in this national poetry recitation program and help inspire the next generation of writers, readers and performers.

Interested in bringing Poetry Out Loud to your school? Visit the link in our bio or visit our website to learn more and get involved!

Pinedale, join us next week for coffee and conversation!Wyoming Arts Council board members and staff will be in Pinedale...
10/14/2026

Pinedale, join us next week for coffee and conversation!

Wyoming Arts Council board members and staff will be in Pinedale for our quarterly board meeting, and we’re setting aside time Tuesday morning to connect with the community.

Stop by Mountain Mama’s Bakery & Cafe for an informal Coffee & Chat. There’s no presentation or formal agenda. It’s simply an opportunity to meet members of the Arts Council board and staff, ask questions, share what’s happening in your community and talk about the arts in Wyoming.

Tuesday, Oct. 20 | 8–9 a.m.
Mountain Mama’s Bakery & Cafe | Pinedale

The Coffee & Chat is free and open to the public. No RSVP is required. Guests are welcome to purchase their own coffee, breakfast or other items from Mountain Mama’s.

Wyoming Poet Laureate Barbara Smith will join writers and poetry enthusiasts in Rock Springs this Thursday, Oct. 15, for...
10/14/2026

Wyoming Poet Laureate Barbara Smith will join writers and poetry enthusiasts in Rock Springs this Thursday, Oct. 15, for a special reading and open mic celebrating National Poetry Day.

Barbara will be joined by Anna Durrant and David Gutierrez, winners of the Rock Springs Writing Contest, for an evening celebrating poetry and highlighting local literary voices.

Community members are also invited to participate in the open mic and share their own work as part of the celebration.

Thursday, Oct. 15 | 7 p.m.
Western Wyoming College, Room 1302 | Rock Springs

The event is free and open to the public. Those interested in reading during the open mic are encouraged to sign up.

Museums and cultural organizations looking to strengthen their social media storytelling can join a free Museum Minds vi...
10/13/2026

Museums and cultural organizations looking to strengthen their social media storytelling can join a free Museum Minds virtual conversation tomorrow, Oct. 14.

Getting Real about Reels, led by arts marketing strategist Rani Robison, will explore practical approaches to creating short-form video content that captures attention, tells meaningful stories and reflects an organization's unique voice.

The session will offer ideas for museums and cultural organizations interested in making better use of Reels without relying on trends or complicated production techniques.

Wednesday, Oct. 14 | Noon MT
Free virtual event

Visit the Museum Minds website to learn more and register.

{2026 WYO ROAD TRIP PLAYLIST} Artist Feature: Ty Warner | This Is Not Goodbye (feat. Olivia Frances)Ty Warner is a globa...
10/13/2026

{2026 WYO ROAD TRIP PLAYLIST} Artist Feature: Ty Warner | This Is Not Goodbye (feat. Olivia Frances)

Ty Warner is a global performer and composer whose signature “Retropolitan” sound blends contemporary energy with timeless influences. An Air Force veteran who performed throughout the Pacific and Europe, Warner believes music is a universal language capable of connecting people across cultures and experiences. Today, he continues that mission through both his music and his work as Musical Ambassador for 22ZERO, supporting veterans through healing and resilience.

…

The creative talent of the Cowboy State provides the perfect soundtrack for any adventure across Wyoming’s beautiful landscape. The Wyoming Road Trip Playlist is an annual Spotify release featuring a collection of songs by Wyoming musicians and podcast episodes created by Wyoming creatives.

You can find the Road Trip Playlist on Spotify by searching “2026 Wyoming Road Trip Playlist” or using the link in our bio.

A nearly forgotten Shoshone art form is being carried forward in Fort Washakie, one saddle and one generation at a time....
10/11/2026

A nearly forgotten Shoshone art form is being carried forward in Fort Washakie, one saddle and one generation at a time.

A new Cowboy State Daily feature shares the story of Reba Teran, a master artist who has spent decades preserving Shoshone language, art and traditions, including the intricate process of creating traditional Shoshone women’s saddles from cottonwood and rawhide.

Reba began learning the craft in 2005 as an apprentice to master artist William Chippewa through the Wyoming Arts Council’s Folk & Traditional Arts Mentoring Project Grants. Just two years later, she stepped into the role of master artist herself, continuing to pass that knowledge forward.

Now, Reba is teaching her niece Martha Bragg, sharing not only the skills involved in working with wood, rawhide and buckskin, but also the family stories and ancestral knowledge woven into the tradition.

The story also digs into the fascinating history of these distinctive saddles, including how they have been inaccurately depicted in some well-known Western artwork and how Reba studied historic examples to better understand how her ancestors constructed them.

Read the full story using the link in our bio written by Jackie Dorothy to meet Reba and learn more about the Shoshone tradition she is helping ensure continues for generations to come.

Wyoming artists looking for time and space to create are invited to apply for the 2027 Artist-in-Residence Program at Gr...
10/10/2026

Wyoming artists looking for time and space to create are invited to apply for the 2027 Artist-in-Residence Program at Great Basin National Park in Nevada.

Great Basin National Park welcomes artists working across a wide range of disciplines. Past artists-in-residence have included painters, illustrators, musicians, composers, poets, architects, sculptors, carpenters, metal workers and more.

Three artists will be selected for 2–3 week residencies in 2027, with opportunities available in winter, summer and fall. Artists will have the chance to immerse themselves in a landscape stretching from the 13,063-foot summit of Wheeler Peak to Lehman Caves, ancient bristlecone pines and some of the darkest night skies in the country.

Selected artists will share their work through public programming during and after the residency and contribute one piece inspired by their experience to the Great Basin National Park Foundation. Housing is provided for the winter and fall residencies, while the summer residency is camping-based.

📆 Application deadline: Oct. 30, 2026

Visit the Great Basin National Park website to learn more about the residency, requirements and application process.

We're kicking off our 2026–2027 Wyoming Youth Arts Council member introductions with Adrienne Jones, a senior at Pinedal...
10/09/2026

We're kicking off our 2026–2027 Wyoming Youth Arts Council member introductions with Adrienne Jones, a senior at Pinedale High School.

Adrienne has been involved in the arts since she was little and now primarily creates through 2D media, including drawing and painting. She has been recognized with several blue ribbons at the annual Wyoming State Art Symposium and is also a published photographer who typically photographs indie artists and bands through her work with a fine arts program.

Outside of art, Adrienne loves spending time with family and friends or curling up with her ever-growing collection of vinyl records.

Artists whose work explores connections to the natural world are invited to apply for the 2027 Artist-in-Residence Progr...
10/08/2026

Artists whose work explores connections to the natural world are invited to apply for the 2027 Artist-in-Residence Program at the Art Institute of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

The selected artist will spend April 1–30, 2027 immersed in the Sonoran Desert, with on-site accommodations, access to the Museum and its grounds, opportunities to exhibit their work and engagement with the Art Institute community.

The program is seeking artists whose creative practice demonstrates a meaningful connection to the natural world and can contribute to the Museum’s mission of conservation through art education.

Application deadline: Dec. 1, 2026

Visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s website for complete residency details and application requirements.

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Cheyenne, WY

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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(307) 777-7742

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