The Wyoming Arts Council, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, has distributed COVID-19 support grants to 45 arts organizations across Wyoming.
The Wind River Development Fund located in Fort Washakie and the Lander Art Center are the two Fremont County art organizations that were selected to receive support grants through the Wyoming Arts Council.
The purpose of the CARES Act funding for arts organizations is to preserve jobs and stabilize organizations. Funds are distributed as a one-time grant to provide administrative and operational support to arts organizations that have suffered substantial financial or personnel losses as a result of COVID-19.
Recipients of these funds may be asked by the Wyoming Arts Council, the Wyoming Humanities Council, or the Wyoming Arts Alliance to participate in conversations and data collection about how COVID-19 is impacting cultural organizations in Wyoming. The Wyoming Arts Council is committed to providing ongoing support to arts organizations and individual artists across the state as disruptions from COVID-19 continue.
Organizations receiving funding are as follows by location:
Afton: The Star Valley Arts Council
Casper: 307 Dance Academy, Casper Artists’ Guild, Casper Children’s Theatre, Inc., Casper Theater Company, Opera Wyoming, The Nicolaysen Art Museum, Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps, Stage III Community Theatre, Trinkle Brass Works, Inc., Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, Inc.
Cheyenne: Arts Cheyenne, Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, Cheyenne Little Theatre Players, Inc., Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, Reformation Dance Company, Wyoming Music Educators Association
Cody: Cody Country Art League, Harry Jackson Museum, Park County Art Council, Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre, By Western Hands
Evanston: Young Musicians Inc.
Fort Washakie: Wind River Development Fund
Gillette: Powder River Symphony
Jackson: Art Association of Jackson Hole, Center of Wonder, Community Center for the Arts, Dancers’ Workshop, Grand Teton Music Festival, Jackson Hole Public Art, Jackson Wild, National Museum of Wildlife Art, Off Square Theatre Company, Riot Act, Inc.
Lander: Lander Art Center
Laramie: Ark Regional Services, Relative Theatrics, Science Loves Art
Pinedale: Pinedale Fine Arts Council, Inc.
Rawlins: Jubilante Ensembles of Carbon County
Saratoga: Saratoga Historical & Cultural Association
Sheridan: Sheridan Artists’ Guild Et Al (SAGE), WYO Theater, Inc.
Worland: Washakie Museum
“Many arts organizations around Wyoming are facing unprecedented challenges right now as events and programs are canceled due to COVID-19. These organizations provide important resources for arts learning, community engagement, and create spaces that people want to live, work, and play. The creative sector which these organizations support is crucial to our state economy. We are grateful to have received CARES Act funding through the National Endowment for the Arts and are hopeful that these funds will help strengthen the important work arts organizations do while also recognizing the need for these organizations is significantly greater than the funding available.” said Michael Lange, Wyoming Arts Council Executive Director.