Wyoming Arts Council

Wyoming hosts its first national arts gathering Oct. 16-18 in Jackson

Featured News | October 7, 2013

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The Wyoming Arts Council will be the host for the 2013 National Assembly of State Arts Agencies Leadership Institute Oct. 16-18 in Jackson.

This will be the first time that a national arts gathering has been held in Wyoming.

“We are excited to host the NASAA Leadership Institute in Wyoming,” said Milward Simpson, director of the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. “For Wyoming’s arts community, this is a wonderful opportunity to be in the national spotlight and to showcase our state’s cultural assets to influential policy leaders and arts funders from every other state. Jackson offers a great model for other communities interested in creative place making and cultural vitality.”

Keynote artist on Oct. 17 will be writer and activist Terry Tempest Williams, who splits her time between Jackson Hole and Castle Valley, Utah. Special guest is U.S. Senator Alan Simpson, who will speak the evening of Oct. 17

“We are especially excited for this opportunity to showcase Wyoming artists at this national event,” said Rita Basom, manager of the Wyoming Arts Council.

Singer-songwriter Michael Hurwitz of Alta will perform at the opening reception on Oct. 16. On Thursday, Oct. 17, the North Bear Drummers and Singers from the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming Poet Laureate Echo Klaproth of Shoshoni and Laramie’s Verismo Trio will perform.

The conference finale, held at the Center for the Arts on Friday, Oct. 18, will feature a “State of the State Arts Agencies” keynote by NASAA CEO Jonathan Katz, preview of the 2014 elections, and performances by Jackson actor and playwright Bob Berky, Contemporary Dance Wyoming from Jackson and “alt-country” musician Jalan Crossland from Ten Sleep.

Held in alternate years, Leadership Institutes are specially designed for state arts agencies’ key policy decision makers — executive directors, deputy or assistant directors, commissioners, chairs and council members.

To learn more about NASAA and state arts agencies, visit www.nasaa-arts.org

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