Fall WAC newsletter in mail

The latest issue of the Wyoming Arts Council newsletter is at the post office and should be in your mailboxes in the next couple of days. Read about Daniel Pink coming to Cheyenne, the Equality State BookFest that Mike has been blogging about for at least the last month, the new statue at the State Fairgrounds in Douglas, as well as Bruce Richardson's lively recap of the Michael Kaiser visit in Cheyenne. There are write-ups about Wyoming Writers, Inc., Julianne Couch's article on Wyoming writer's groups, Gretel Ehrlich's writing retreat, our featured Wyoming artists -- Tom Rea, Pravina Gondalia, and Wendy de la Harpe -- remembering Eva McAdams, Dutch Hop, Poetry Out Loud, Christmas Tree project and a list of awarded grants. If you'd like to look at it online go to http://wyoarts.state.wy.us/pdf/WAC_newsletter_fall_2010.pdf

Postmark deadline May 1 for Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund grants

The May 1, postmark grant deadline for Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund (WCTF) grant applications is rapidly approaching.

The WCTF can provide grant funding for all forms of arts and culture, including but not limited to, visual arts, performing arts, crafts, design arts, media arts, literature, folklife and traditional arts, humanities, historic and architectural preservation, community cultural celebrations and cultural corridors.

Applicants must be a Wyoming nonprofit or governmental organization and are available on the WCTF website, part of http://www.artsparkshistory.com/

The mission of the WCTF Board is to serve the citizens of the state by supporting Wyoming’s culture and heritage through grant funding of innovative projects for the enjoyment, appreciation, promotion, preservation and protection of the state’s arts, cultural and historic resources. The program will also look to support and invest in Wyoming institutions that support the state’s culture and heritage.

For additional information or a paper copy of the application, contact Renee Bovee, WCTC Administrator, at 307-777-6312. The application postmark deadline is May 1 for projects beginning after July 1.

Wild West Quilt Fest Feb. 6-7 in Riverton

Wyoming Star Quilt Guild presents the 8th annual Wild West Quilt Fest at Aspen Park Elementrary School, 1620 E. Sunset in Riverton on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 6-7. Times: Saturday 1-7 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Event includes vendor mall, scissor sharpening, an array of beautiful quilts, silent auction tables. Alzquilt art pieces to be donated to the Alzheimers Foundation for reseach.

Free Admission, donations accepted. Peggy Albright, contact 307-857-3142

Winter 2010 Artscapes newsletter at the printer

(click for larger image)

The newsletter will be in the mail by end of January, but thought I'd give a preview here, and the PDF version can be seen on our homepage at http://www.wyomingartscouncil.org/. This issue features the 2009 Governor's Arts Awards recipients, as well as the Blanchan/Doubleday winners and runners'-up, the Folk Arts Mentorships awardees, and lots of other WAC news.

Other posts have talked about the GAA recipients, but they are saddlemaker Don Butler of Sheridan, Mayor Duane Evenson of Gillette, Naoma J. Tate of Cody, Louise Wesswick of Rock Springs, and Wyoming Educator of Secondary Theatre (WEST).

Kaycee's Georgie Sicking in the news

In a Nov. 13 article on the Cowboy Legacy web site, Elladean Hays Bittner wrote a story on a series of interviews with Arizona ranch women. One of those interviewees was cowboy poet Georgie Sicking of Kaycee, Wyo. (pictured above), who spent most of her life in Arizona. To read the article and see accompanying photos, go to http://www.cowboylegacy.org/articles/ElladeanHaysBittner (this is a registration site).

Coincidentally, Katherine T. Feiten (former intern with the WAC's folk arts program), wrote an interview with Georgie Sicking that will be featured in the next issue of the WAC's Wyoming Artscapes newsletter, which is due out next week. If you don't receive the print copy of the newsletter, look for the digital version of it on the WAC's web site some time in December. Go to http://www.wyomingartscouncil.com