Featured News | June 20, 2023
The Wyoming Arts Council has announced the launch of its new strategic plan, which sets the course for the organization’s mission and goals through 2027. With a primary focus on empowering artists and fostering vibrant communities, the strategic plan emphasizes equitable investments, community connections, and the sustainable growth of the arts in Wyoming.
“The Arts Council serves communities all around the state, and we believe that the arts are for everyone,” said Rachel Clifton, Assistant Director of the Wyoming Arts Council. “The strategic plan focuses on the role that we play as a state arts agency to increase accessibility to the arts and to further support communities, organizations, and individuals working in the creative sector. We created the strategic plan to help us think critically about future planning so that new incentives or programs continue to align with the mission of the Arts Council.”
Under the new strategic plan, the Wyoming Arts Council has identified three main priorities to guide its initiatives:
To ensure the plan’s development was comprehensive and inclusive, the Arts Council actively engaged with artists, organizations, and community members by conducting community sessions throughout the state and collecting feedback through an online survey. The input from these sessions, combined with the recommendations from the Arts Council staff and board, significantly shaped the plan. Additionally, the Arts Council worked with two specialized consultants to help craft the plan and develop an equity framework that parallels the strategic objectives.
The Wyoming Arts Council aims to address disparities in grant distribution, access to programs, and representation by adopting a corresponding equity framework. This framework comprises a comprehensive set of tools and resources that enable the Arts Council to evaluate and ensure inclusivity throughout the planning, implementation, and assessment phases of its programs. By applying this equity framework, the organization can analyze its reach and impact, identifying areas where services may be underutilized.
The plan is designed to be dynamic and responsive to evolving circumstances. With an action-oriented approach, the plan incorporates current programs and services while allowing room for growth and development of new initiatives. The Arts Council can assess and adjust its strategies as needed while maintaining a strategic and mindful alignment with its mission and capacity.
The Wyoming Arts Council invites artists, arts organizations, and community members across the state to explore the strategic plan and join them in their mission to invest resources to champion, sustain, and cultivate community through the arts.
To view the strategic plan, please visit: https://wyoarts.state.wy.us/about/wac-strategic-plan-2015-2020/
The Wyoming Arts Council believes that experiencing the arts should be accessible for all, including people with mental and/or physical disabilities, older adults, military/veterans, people living in institutions and those who lack access to the arts due to geographic isolation, cultural difference and economic hardship.
