Wyoming Arts Council

The arts at the heart of downtown Casper revival

Featured News | July 24, 2015

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The Casper Star-Tribune editorial board has some good things to say today about the renaissance happening in its downtown. The activity is a grassroots effort, spurred in large part by the arts. It’s incredibly easy to say that there ought to be more things to do in your town. It takes grit and planning and a bit of funding to actually make something happen. If you haven’t done so already, visit one of Casper’s many downtown events this summer. Check out the WAC’s “125 Days of Arts & Humanities” calendar to get some ideas.

Here’s the Star-Trib op-ed:

Downtown Casper is humming with activity this summer.

Whether it’s art walks, Thursday night concerts, farmers markets or activities at the Nicolaysen Art Museum, there are lots of opportunities for people to enjoy what Casper has to offer. Plus, there are regularly scheduled events, such as the hot air balloon festival set for Saturday evening, that showcase everything we have here.

What we have is a beautiful historic downtown, a sense of community and – most important – residents who strongly believe in those things and are willing to invest time, money and work into them. These are grassroots events, dreamed up by local people and local businesses.

The art walks were the brainchild of Claire Marlow, the owner of Scarlow’s Gallery in downtown Casper, and Casper Artists’ Guild Executive Director Holly Turner. More than a dozen businesses have participated in the events, scheduled for the first Thursday evening of the month through the end of the year. The art walks are a testament to the commitment of the downtown art community; there are now enough venues to support such events.

The Thursday night concerts in the Old Yellowstone District attract a diverse array of fans, from families to couples to groups of friends. The vibe is low-key and relaxed, and it’s wonderful to see the recent revitalization in the area.

We’re also happy to see the Tuesday night farmers market and Wednesday Night Live concerts hosted at the Nic. That’s a demonstration of dedication from a downtown business.

Everyday people have invested in the community, and their efforts have made Casper a better place to live. They have opted to be agents of change. We hope their actions set an example for our leaders. This vibrant place that encourages creativity and community is what people in Casper want to be.

We hope this is just the beginning of a new era. With the potential addition of a public plaza, which took an important step forward recently when the State Building Commission agreed to sell or trade a call center at Second and David streets, the downtown experience could become even richer. We hope to see that happen – and soon.

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