Never before have the arts and artistic aspects of our culture played a more important role in the economic and social development of every community in Wyoming. There are facts and data that appear almost daily that show the importance of every community’s ability to:

• Attract and sustain high quality artists from multiple areas of expertise
• Create safe, entertainment, historic and arts districts that are easily strollable
• Embrace all community newcomers
• Create new, cool, interactive social and work environments for the Y Generation

Communities around the world are making efforts to address the above issues as to improve the “quality of life” for their current and future residents.

The majority of communities in Wyoming are either in preparation for expected future growth or trying to determine how they might attract visitors and potential economic growth. Both will rely heavily on how we understand the growing factual evidence that our future economic and social well-being is built upon the arts and cultural arts.

The Wyoming Arts Council provides Community Development and the Arts funding assistance through the following two grant programs.

Grants to Organizations (GTO) Program

The WAC’s largest grant category supports the production of arts programs, projects and events in local communities in every county. Over $300,000.00 is awarded annually to organizations large and small, with paid staff or entirely volunteer run. GTO grants promote artistic excellence and a breadth of artistic experience for audiences of all ages and abilities.

Projects encompass all the arts including performing, visual, literary, media, folk, or multi-disciplinary arts. Funded projects are community based and do not have arts education as the primary focus. Appropriate activities can range from a single performance, reading or exhibit to a yearlong project, series of projects, multiple unrelated projects, a season of arts programs and activities, and single or multi-day festivals.

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Community Arts Partners (CAP) Program

Through the COMMUNITY ARTS PARTNERS Grant Program the Wyoming Arts Council would like to support the creation of innovative collaborations anchored by the arts. Up to five communities will be selected annually to receive a matching grant of $10,000.00 for partnerships that focus on arts based community building, civic engagement, community planning and use of public spaces for the enhancement of economic opportunities and citizen quality of life.

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