Grantee: Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation and Interpretive Center

October 2, 2026

The Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and teaching the history of the Heart Mountain World War II Japanese American confinement site. The Foundation works to ensure that the stories of the more than 14,000 Japanese Americans imprisoned at Heart Mountain during World War II are remembered and honored.

During World War II, the U.S. government forcibly removed and incarcerated more than 125,000 people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast. Heart Mountain, located between Cody and Powell, became one of ten confinement camps established under Executive Order 9066. At its peak, the camp held more than 10,000 people. The Foundation’s mission is not only to preserve the physical site, but also to educate visitors about civil liberties, constitutional rights.

A centerpiece of the Foundation’s work is the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, an award-winning, Smithsonian Affiliate museum that opened in 2011. The museum is situated near the original camp site, and features immersive exhibits. Visitors learn about daily life in the camp, the emotional and political impact of incarceration. Exhibits focus on the many ways Japanese Americans responded to their imprisonment including, military service, resistance movements, and efforts to rebuild their lives after the war.

The Interpretive Center also preserves surviving structures and landmarks from the original camp, including a restored barrack, a root cellar built by incarcerees, and the Honor Roll memorial recognizing Japanese American soldiers from Heart Mountain who served during WWII. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006.

Bill Shishima, left and Donald Yamamoto join local Boy Scouts to raise the flag at dedication of The Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center outside of Cody, Wyoming. From 1942 to 1945, nearly 14,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry were imprisoned at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center – one of 10 War Relocation Authority (WRA) concentration camps. Photo by Kevin J. MiyazakiPhoto by Kevin J. Miyazaki

The opening of the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center on August 20th, 2011 marked a defining milestone in the history of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation. For many years, the Foundation had worked toward the goal of creating a permanent place where the stories of the more than 14,000 Japanese Americans incarcerated at Heart Mountain could be preserved, shared, and remembered. What began as a vision grew into a reality through the dedication of former incarcerees and their families, foundation members, local homesteaders, community volunteers, donors, and countless supporters who believed these stories deserved to be told.

Long before the museum welcomed its first visitors, the Foundation’s original curator, LaDonna Zall, devoted years to collecting artifacts, preserving personal histories, and leading tours of the former camp site. Her efforts, along with those of many others, helped lay the groundwork for an interpretive center that would honor the lived experiences of those incarcerated while educating future generations about the consequences of prejudice, fear, and the loss of civil liberties.

Opening day was a celebration decades in the making. More than 800 guests gathered at Heart Mountain, including former incarcerees, their descendants, elected officials, donors, volunteers, and supporters from across the country.

The ceremony featured keynote remarks from Daniel Inouye, whose own service as a decorated veteran and lifelong advocate for civil rights underscored the significance of the day. His words celebrated the perseverance of those who endured incarceration and recognized the opening of the Interpretive Center as a lasting commitment to ensuring that the lessons of Heart Mountain would never be forgotten. Since opening day, the museum has welcomed visitors from around the world, continuing its mission to inspire reflection, foster dialogue, and remind future generations of the importance of protecting justice and democracy for all.

Ribbon cutting for the Mineta-Simpson Institute, July 27, 2024.

The opening of the Mineta-Simpson Institute on July 27, 2024, marked another transformative chapter in the history of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation. The Institute established a center dedicated to civic engagement, democracy, and the enduring values embodied by the extraordinary friendship between former Secretary Norman Mineta and former Senator Alan Simpson.

Norm and Al met during a Boy Scouts event at the Heart Mountain camp. What began as an unlikely friendship grew into a lifelong bond that transcended politics, geography, and background. Mineta, a Democrat, and Simpson, a Republican, went on to distinguished careers in public service, becoming nationally recognized examples of mutual respect and bipartisan collaboration.

The Mineta-Simpson Institute was created to carry that legacy into the future. The space includes a permanent exhibition exploring the lives, friendship, and public service of Secretary Mineta and Senator Simpson, tracing their journeys from wartime adolescence to national leadership. Through personal artifacts, photographs, and interactive experiences, visitors discover how two young men whose lives intersected because of wartime incarceration became champions of bipartisan cooperation and lifelong advocates for public service.

The Institute also provides a home for educational programming, leadership development, and public dialogue that encourages visitors—especially students—to explore the responsibilities of citizenship, the importance of civil discourse, and the value of finding common ground across differences.

Bringing this ambitious vision to life was made possible through a landmark $3.175 million grant from the Mellon Foundation, the largest single gift in the Foundation’s history. The grant supported the creation of the Institute and its exhibition, ensuring that the inspiring legacy of Mineta and Simpson will continue to educate and inspire future generations.

JACE Convening at the new Mineta-Simpson Institute

The restoration of our historic root cellar has enabled our foundation to build an exhibit dedicated to the farmers who made the soil of Heart Mountain bloom. In the high desert of northwestern Wyoming, the cellar is a vast, semi-underground structure hidden beneath the wooden air vents that can still be seen standing near farmland where the Heart Mountain concentration camp once stood. It is also the only cellar from the ten main Japanese American camps that has survived almost completely intact to the present day.

Once restoration is complete, the cellar will house an exhibit explaining the pivotal role that agriculture played at the Heart Mountain camp. This exhibit will draw visitors into a time when Japanese Americans feared that they would starve if they could not turn desert scrubland into productive farms. Food insecurity was one of the greatest challenges at the Heart Mountain camp. False reports of food hoarding fueled political pressure to stop food support to the camp. These concerns added urgency to the plan to establish farms on the undeveloped land surrounding the camp to supplement the food supply. The incarcerees eventually built two giant root cellars to store what they grew. They succeeded through ingenuity and expertise in adapting to the harsh climate and short growing season. At the end of the war, they left behind newly developed land for homesteaders and local communities to use, along with farming techniques pioneered by the incarcerated farmers.

The ADA accessible walkway through our historic root cellar has been funded in part by Wyoming Humanities’ Culture Grows grant. When completed, the root cellar exhibit will welcome visitors into its cool, underground depths for a historic view of the incredible work of the incarcerated Japanese Americans.

To contribute to the Root Cellar project, donate here: https://heartmountain.org/join-give/ Heart Mountain Foundation and Interpretive Center are Culture Grows grantees of Wyoming Humanities, and are moving through the year with 14 other cohort members.

Grantee: Relative Theatrics

By Relative Theatrics |

Relative Theatrics is a small theatrical production company in Laramie, Wyoming that seeks to engage community in thoughtful, contemporary theatre, expand worldviews, and connect us to collective humanity through the performing arts to the fine folks of Laramie and Southeast Wyoming. We put our productions in a small intimate black box configuration with the audience sitting closer than other traditional settings.

With the hope that all good storytelling causes a reaction in the audience, each Relative Theatrics production strives to provide chat-back sessions with the cast and director, giving the community an opportunity to start a dialogue about their experiences and reactions to the play. Each production is partnered with a Community Organization that acts as a resource for our audiences to provide support after any given play. This allows a deeper connection to performances and to the wonderful groups within our community. We believe that theatre is a forum with the power to illuminate the binding qualities of humanity and reinforce the ideals that as a society we have values that pose as common ground and emotions that relate us to one another.

Founded by Laramie native Anne Mason, Relative Theatrics has been bringing live theatre to South East Wyoming since the summer of 2013. After gaining academic and professional experience nationwide, Mason returned to Wyoming with a goal to bring a fresh theatrical experience to the Laramie community. Most of Relative Theatrics plays have been Wyoming premieres or regional premieres. Relative Theatrics has consistently grown our audiences to come to plays, readings and the Play/Write showcase year after year. A great deal of the people involved in Relative Theatrics have moved back to Laramie seeking community and creative opportunities. RT has been hub for performing arts creatives to find those opportunities and to connect us with each other in a meaningful way. RT staff feels that Laramie is a special place and sharing the arts with others is vital to who we are.

Sean Coyle is the Artistic and Executive Director for Relative Theatrics. Before taking on this role he was a frequent collaborator with Relative Theatrics since 2014. He has worked as a lighting designer, actor, director and as a teaching artist for Play/Write. He holds a B.A. in Theatrical Performance from the University of Wyoming and a Master’s of Library Science and Information from the University of Central Missouri. He has always had a passion for the performing arts and how the in person experience of art can create deeper connections for individuals and their communities. He hopes to continue and expand the mission of Relative Theatrics to bring high quality theatre to the Southeast Wyoming community.

Kim Lockhart is the Production Manager for Relative Theatrfics. She holds a BFA in Theatre Playwriting and Directing from the University of Wyoming. She took over the position of Production Manager the summer of 2021, for Season 9. Kim’s job is to oversee the production schedule and to properly coordinate all creative role within a given production to ensure things run smoothly and efficiently. Since joining the Relative Theatrics family, Kim has had the opportunity to direct, act, create props for productions and stage manage. Along with all this Kim is one of the teaching artists for the Play/Write education program Relative Theatrics started in 2022. Kim loves that she has the opportunity to be a part of bringing these thought provoking stories to the stage as well as meeting and working with the many talented artists in the Laramie/Wyoming community.

Ben Boyd is the Technical Director for Relative Theatrics. He is a Digital Media and Lighting Designer, having had designs showcased at Theatre Silco in Silverthorne, CO, Grandstreet Theatre in Helena, MT, and Relative Theatrics and the University of Wyoming in Laramie, WY. With RT Ben has provided lighting and scenic design for productions for several show and is the go to person for all of RT’s technical elements. Ben joined as Technical Director in February of 2025.

Will Bowling is the Education Director for Relative Theatrics. Will is a writer, performer and musician recently transplanted in Laramie. He is the Founding Artistic Director of the New Orleans based company, Goat In The Road, and spent 13 years in the Crescent City making original, ensemble devised performance works with a company of friends and artists. He works closely with ALCES Community Works and their White Pelican Project which exchanges artists from New Orleans and Wyoming to build creative connections between these communities. Will is thrilled to be here in Laramie working with Relative and a wonderful ensemble of Wyoming based artists.

Relative Theatrics started it’s Education Program in 2022. The program started in 3 schools around Albany County and has expanded to 5 schools with over 240 students. Play/Write teaches the foundations of dramatic writing and theatre literacy, and produces a community showcase of work written by talented Laramie 4th, 5th and 6th graders.
The program has two main components:

One: Yearlong playwriting classes during which RT teaching artists work with fifth and sixth grade students on playwriting and performance. Each student writes many original plays and chooses one to be edited and expanded into a full length play, which is published by RT.

Two: A performance Showcase featuring student-written plays presented by professional theatre and dance companies from around the state at Buchanan Center for Performing Arts and the University of Wyoming. There are two performances: one in the daytime when students attend on a field trip, and an evening show that is open to the public.The consistent growth and support of this program has shown the need for arts education programs in Albany County and Relative Theatrics is thrilled to be able to work with educators and artists statewide to provide these classes.

Relative Theatrics is a Culture Grows grantee of Wyoming Humanities. Season 14 is well under way, learn more about upcoming shows here: https://www.relativetheatrics.com/season-14.html

Grantee: Community Fine Arts Center

By Community Fine Arts Center |

The Community Fine Arts Center in Rock Springs, WY, opened its doors in the fall of 1966 but its beginnings were much earlier-1939-when the first painting was purchased to hang in the local high school. This painting is Shack Alley by Henrietta Wood, which became the nucleus of the permanent collection. Much more art was purchased over the years and as a result the CFAC holds several well-known artists works, including Norman Rockwell, Grandma Moses, and Salvador Dali; all purchased during Halseth’s time.

*Elmer Halseth with the first painting in the collection, Shack Alley by Henrietta Wood.*

The gallery founder, Elmer Halseth, was a high school science teacher, who inspired students to raise funds which were used to purchase the art to hang in local classrooms. Mr. Halseth was the first director of the center, as well as a state representative and supporter of the arts until his death in 1991. Eventually the collection grew large enough to need its own home and a grant enabled Mr. Halseth to purchase the gallery at its current location, which was formerly a church. Today the CFAC is attached to the Rock Springs C Street Library, which historically was a separate building from the gallery, and a Carnegie library. The CFAC is also managed by the Sweetwater County Library System, in cooperation with School District 1, which owns Elmer Halseth’s original collection.

The Community Fine Arts Center has expanded since Halseth’s time to include a resource room, with an art library, study table, and photography and sculpture collection, the project of former gallery director and artist Deb Soule. The CFAC also houses the “Chinese Massacre Room” which contains paintings and artifacts dedicated to educating the public about this difficult chapter in local history.

*The CFAC Chinese Massacre room. Photo by Carrie Tuttle*

In addition, the CFAC supports local artist through a variety of avenues such as school visits throughout the spring, educational visits on the Chinese massacre for local 3rd and 4th graders, a gift shop filled with local artists work (from which the proceeds go to a scholarship for local high school student or students wishing to pursue the arts) and youth arts month(s) which showcases local k-12 students arts from February-May each year.

*CFAC School Group Tour. Photo by Jennifer Messer*

We also have a rotating exhibit gallery, where artist from around the region are featured in artists exhibitions as well as community shows where any artists may submit work around a theme. Finally, the CFAC holds free community art classes, where anyone may attend classes on such subjects as candle painting, watercolor, print making, and collage, as well as a monthly artist meet up group, and an annual Plein Air competition.

*The CFAC rotating gallery, where we exhibit the work of regional artists. Currently showing the Americas 250^th community show. Photo by Carrie Tuttle*

And of course, the Community Fine Arts Center is fueled by the love and generosity of its staff. Pictured below, from left to right.

Pictured from left, Denise Mosely with her photo “Big Boy”, Amanda Romero with her mixed media piece Pride and Petals, and Carrie Tuttle with her mixed media piece Good Morning America. All art from the Americas 250^th Community Show, which took place at the CFAC June 10^th to July 11th

Denise Mosley, CFAC Assistant. Denise has worked with a variety of artistic media since 2002. She began her career with a degree in Art Education from UW and spent the following 15 years teaching high school art classes while perfecting her craft and honing in on her personal style.Pinstriping has been a staple in her repertoire since she began her artistic career and continues to be something that she offers to clients on their vehicles as well as in the form of art and home decor. Denise also works in painting and photography and enjoys a variety of art challenges by exploring new media and experimenting with artistic techniques.
Denise enjoys the interaction and collaboration she gets to experience working at the CFAC, as well as learning and teaching about the local and regional artists that are on display.

Amanda Romero, CFAC Manager. Amanda Romero is a lifelong artist and resident of Sweetwater County. She enjoys painting and drawing an has served the community as an artist and educator. Amanda began her work at the CFAC as assistant to the director in 2021 and was promoted to the manager’s position in 2025.
With her love for the arts, Amanda is committed to continuing the CFAC vision of promoting and cultivating the arts is southwest Wyoming, as well as focusing her daily work on collection management, developing classes, and encouraging the love of art and culture within the community.

Carrie Tuttle, CFAC Assistant. Carrie Tuttle has a background in science, writing and education. She is a published poet and writer and enjoys working on blending her interests in art, nature, and writing into mixed media collage pieces.
Carrie began working at the CFAC in 2025, after 2 years of working for the Sweetwater County Library system as a Substitute.
She enjoys educating the gallery patrons on many of the pieces of art on display, as well as managing the CFAC social media pages, and helping to teach classes to the community.

There is no admission charge to the Community Fine Arts Center. The Center is open Monday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday noon to 4:00 p.m. Closed Sundays and major holidays.

The Community Fine Arts Center is a Culture Grows grantee of Wyoming Humanities, joining a cohort of 14 other organizations this year.

Grantee: ALCES Community Works

By ALCES Community Works | July 13, 2026

The name is a clue.

Alces (al·suhz) is the genus name for the moose — a creature deeply associated with Wyoming, yet not native to this state’s constructed boundaries. The name speaks to how identities are shaped by movement, memory, and adaptation over time. Like the moose, people have migrated through and made home in this landscape for generations. At ALCES, being a Wyomingite is not defined by permanence, but by presence: how we connect to place, honor layered histories, and contribute to the unfolding story of this land.

ALCES Community Works is a public art and history nonprofit rooted in Laramie, Wyoming — and in the belief that communities are the experts on their own stories.

We work at the intersection of art, history, and public memory, partnering with Wyoming communities to research, create, and share the histories that don’t always make it into textbooks. Through public installations, community programming, and long-term collaborative projects, we bring underrepresented voices and overlooked histories into public life — where they belong.

We’re also deeply committed to Wyoming’s creative economy. We champion artists and storytellers as visionaries, memory workers, and culture bearers — paying them equitably for their labor and ideas, and opening doors to national opportunities, broader recognition, and the civic stage their work deserves. When Wyoming artists are resourced and seen, the stories that shape our shared identity grow richer, truer, and more complete.

Whether we’re honoring immigrant and migrant labor along the I-80 corridor, documenting deep histories of place, or putting art-making tools directly in community hands, ALCES exists to ask one question: whose stories are being told, and who gets to tell them?

We believe creativity is essential to civic life — that the arts spark dialogue, deepen belonging, and strengthen the democratic fabric of our communities. And we believe in a Wyoming where everyone recognizes themselves in the story we tell together.

At the heart of ALCES Community Works – People.

Alces Community Works Founder and Executive Director, Aubrey Edwards

Aubrey Edwards is our founder and executive director. She is a multidisciplinary artist, cultural anthropologist, historical archaeologist, educator, storyteller, and memory worker living on the high plains of Laramie, Wyoming. With work across the academic, creative, applied, and public spheres, Aubrey explores the intersections of culture, history, and community with a commitment to methods that center community voice at every turn. Aubrey is a fierce advocate for the arts — not as decoration, but as infrastructure. Not as a luxury, but as a right.

Today, Aubrey leads ALCES while also completing her doctoral work in Public Humanities at the University of Wyoming, where her research deepens the theoretical foundations of everything ALCES puts into practice. She is a 2023 Wyoming Arts Council Visual Arts Fellow and a 2025–26 National Arts Futures Fellow with Creative West — recognitions that reflect both the ambition of her vision and the rigor of her craft. She is also, at any given moment, probably scanning the sky for migratory birds or scanning the ground for archaeological objects. Because of course she is.

Board Chair and Creative Partner, Conor Mullen is a socially engaged artist who uses creative and collaborative approaches to building equitable and ecologically sustainable futures. He has worked as a graphic designer, community organizer, art educator, and skateboard instructor over the years, but visual art is his focus. Conor earned his BFA (2011) and MSW (2023) from the University of Wyoming. He was awarded a 2026 State of the Art prize from Creative Capital and an Alternative Educator of the year award from Wyoming’s Art Education Association. Conor lives in Laramie, where he keeps a dog, a skateboard, and bike paths close by.

Will Bowling, Alces Community Works Board Vice Chair and Treasurer and Creative Partner is an arts and culture worker, public educator, and outdoor enthusiast dedicated to building vibrant, equitable communities. As a member of the Laramie City Council, he focuses on issues related to the cultural economy, job creation, and affordable housing. He serves as the Education Director for Relative Theatrics, where he leads Play/Write in partnership with the Albany County School District and is. Play/Write brings theater arts and creative writing into four local elementary schools, helping young learners explore self-expression, storytelling, and collaboration through the performing arts. He is presently laying the foundation to expand the program statewide. He enjoys hiking, hunting, fishing, and camping in Wyoming’s Snowy Range.

High Iron

On July 4, 2026, a transformed 1950s Union Pacific railroad boxcar opened on the Wyoming State Capitol Grounds in Cheyenne — and nothing quite like it has ever existed in this state before.

High Iron is a mobile monument, exhibition space, and community storytelling platform honoring the immigrant and migrant labor communities who built Wyoming. Inside a single repurposed boxcar, thirteen commissioned artists have created installations weaving together the stories of Chinese, Mexican, Italian, Greek, Irish, Japanese, African American, and Indigenous workers who laid the tracks, worked the mines, and shaped the I-80 corridor — and whose names have been largely absent from Wyoming’s public monuments. Until now.

Stories are told here in multiple registers: through the artworks themselves, through free public activations and community programming, and through multimedia installations created by Cheyenne descendents sharing stories of their immigrant ancestors.
As descendant storyteller Rubel Vigil said: “For the people that built this state — this is our monument.”

High Iron debuted in Laramie in September 2024, pictured above, with support from Monument Lab — the Philadelphia-based public art and research organization — and was developed by core team Conor Mullen, Aubrey Edwards, and Laura McDermit, with organizational support from ALCES Community Works. This summer, in partnership with the Governor’s Office and the Wyoming 250th Commission, the boxcar takes up residence at the Capitol Complex as part of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration — honoring the communities whose labor built this country, on the grounds of the state they helped make.

The Cheyenne residency runs July 4 through September 30, 2026, free and fully accessible, before continuing to Rawlins and westward along the I-80 corridor through 2029.

Community Kitchen

On February 7, 2026, ALCES Community Works brought Community Kitchen to Devine Eats in Laramie — and kept the doors open for over twelve hours.

Community Kitchen is our cultural exchange project that brings people together through shared cooking, storytelling, and care. Each gathering centers a family from our local community, inviting them to share food traditions from their home culture while cooking alongside neighbors. The kitchen becomes a temporary studio — where cooking is understood as an embodied, creative practice shaped by memory, migration, care, and improvisation.

This gathering centered Eman Basher and Abdalrahim Abuwarda, a Palestinian family from Gaza who now call Laramie home. Over fifty community members sat with them, rolled grape leaves, and cooked together — learning not just recipes, but the histories, memories, and lived experiences carried through food. Cultural knowledge shared on its own terms, at the kitchen table.

In partnership with Relative Theatrics and their production of FEAST — a play exploring themes of genocide, oppression, and resiliency — that community-created meal was served at every performance, feeding nearly 300 patrons. Palestinian cuisine extending its stories of place and pride to every seat in the house.

This is what ALCES means by belonging. Not a gesture. Not a program. A meal, made together, that carries everything

Celebrate Wyoming People’s History

On May 15th, sixty community members, students, artists, and history lovers gathered at the American Heritage Center to celebrate something worth celebrating: eight Wyoming high school students who spent months researching, designing, and producing original posters honoring the unsung histories of this state.

Justseeds Artists’ Cooperative founded Celebrate People’s History in the 1990s — a groundbreaking printmaking project that has used bold graphic art to uplift movements, people, and moments that mainstream history too often leaves out. ALCES partnered with Justseeds to produce a Black 14 poster — honoring one of Wyoming’s most significant and underrepresented civil rights stories — now distributed nationally through Justseeds’s network, putting Wyoming’s history in front of audiences across the country. And with Justseeds’s blessing, ALCES launched Celebrate Wyoming People’s History: our own chapter of that legacy, rooted right here in this state.

Eight Wyoming high school students worked alongside local artists, supported by the Wyoming Community Foundation, to research, design, and produce original posters celebrating unsung Wyoming history. Every student was paid for their work — because artist equity isn’t something we talk about at ALCES, it’s something we practice. From our youngest collaborators to our most established artists, we are committed to building a creative economy in Wyoming where makers are valued and compensated. They didn’t just learn history — they made it. And now those stories belong to everyone: all posters are free and downloadable at alcesworks.org.

A heartfelt thank you to Brie Blasi and the American Heritage Center for their tremendous partnership.

The Geraldine Road Fund

In honor of Geraldine, 2011–2026. She went everywhere.

Geraldine was the ALCES mascot and Aubrey’s road dog. The most loving and adventurous one-eyed black pit bull who came up from the Louisiana swamps and spent the better part of her life as a constant companion — logging miles nationwide, every long drive into unfamiliar country. She made those lonesome highways not lonesome at all.

She was there for all of it. She sat at Aubrey’s feet through every grant narrative, every artist meeting, every late night of planning and dreaming that became ALCES Community Works. She accompanied Aubrey to residencies from Butte, Montana to California’s Alabama Hills, Idaho’s Snake River, and a goat farm in Selma, Alabama. She visited high school art classes, marched in Mardi Gras parades, and met artists and culture bearers across the West — melting hearts everywhere she went. She had a bandana for every occasion, excellent instincts, licks to give, and no opinions about your artist statement.
She was, in every sense, a road dog.

Geraldine passed in May 2026. In her honor, ALCES launched The Geraldine Road Fund — a $250 travel grant for Wyoming artists heading into a residency. It exists to lower the barrier between here and the place where the work gets made. Gas money, a night on the road, whatever gets you there.

And if your dog is coming with you? ALCES has a bandana for them. Because some don’t go into the field alone — and we think that’s worth honoring.

ALCES Community Works joins14 other organizations as a member of the first-ever Culture Grows Grantee Cohort, a grant line from Wyoming Humanities dedicated to growing connection and elevating Wyoming’s cultural network through regular convening of the cohort.

Grantee: Nicolaysen Art Museum

By Wyoming Humanities and Nicolaysen Art Museum |

The Nicolaysen Art Museum, the NIC, collects, preserves, and exhibits the work of contemporary artists and presents it to the community as a vital source of inspiration and education. Through exhibitions, educational programs, and community events, The NIC creates opportunities for people to explore ideas, share stories, and engage with art in meaningful ways.

Over a thousand 1st graders and educators join us for WyoReads each year presented by the Jorgensen Library Foundation and The Natrona County Public Library, one of many community partnerships that connect art, education, and learning. Throughout the year, The NIC works closely with nonprofits, arts organizations, artists, and community groups to create meaningful experiences that serve people of all ages.

The NIC serves more than 750 participants annually through art classes, summer camps, workshops, and outreach programs for adults, veterans, residents in assisted living communities, and others. The Discovery Center further expands access to hands-on creative experiences through year-round activities and special events.

The NIC’s Board of Directors is made up of dedicated volunteers who bring a wide range of professional experience, perspectives, and expertise to the museum. Members of The Nicolaysen Art Museum’s Board, pictured below: Board Chair Dr. Geoff Hunt, Vice Chair Linda Ryan, Secretary Erin McNicoll, Treasurer Tiana Carlson, outgoing Treasurer Liz Bowers, LuDel Walter, Marci Hayward, and City Liaison Michael Bond. The Board of Directors works closely with museum staff to support governance, strategic planning, financial oversight, and long-term sustainability.

Nicolaysen Art Museum Board of Directors, left to right: Board Chair Dr. Geoff Hunt, Vice Chair Linda Ryan, Secretary Erin McNicoll, Treasurer Tiana Carlson, outgoing Treasurer Liz Bowers, LuDel Walter, Marci Hayward, and City Liaison Michael Bond.

Through regular meetings, committee work, advocacy, fundraising, and strategic planning, the Board of Directors helps ensure that The NIC remains a vibrant cultural resource for Casper and Wyoming. This photograph recognizes the leadership, service, and dedication of those who generously contribute their time and talents in support of the museum and the communities it serves.

In 2026, The Nicolaysen Art Museum achieved reaccreditation through the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition available to museums in the United States. This distinction demonstrates The NIC’s continued commitment to professional excellence, public trust, and responsible stewardship of its collections, programs, and resources.

Reaccreditation is a years-long process that requires extensive planning, documentation, institutional review, and collaboration among staff, board members, and volunteers. Successfully completing the process reflects the dedication of many individuals working toward a common goal.

To recognize those efforts, The NIC commissioned Casper artist Jim Kopp to create portraits of the members of the museum’s Accreditation Committee, pictured below. The artwork honors the leadership, service, and countless hours contributed by committee members throughout the reaccreditation process, celebrating both a significant institutional achievement and the people who helped make it possible.

*To commemorate the efforts and success of the American Alliance of Museums Accreditation Committee, artist Jim Kopp was commissioned to paint Committee members portraits.*

In a true union of arts and culture, the NIC hosts an annual Día de los Muertos celebration that brings families and community members together to explore the traditions, history, and cultural significance of the holiday through art and hands-on learning.

Visitors in the Discovery Center actively create art as part of the celebration. The event welcomed participants of all ages to engage with cultural traditions through creative expression, making Día de los Muertos one of The NIC’s most vibrant and well-attended community programs, pictured below. The strong participation reflects the museum’s commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for cultural learning, artistic exploration, and community connection.

*Community members of all ages engage with cultural traditions through creative expression at the Nicolaysen Art Museum’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration.*

Also this year, The Nicolaysen Art Museum celebrated the 20th Anniversary of NIC Fest, marking two decades of bringing art, music, culture, and community together in downtown Casper. What began as a local arts festival has grown into one of the museum’s and Casper’s most anticipated annual events, drawing visitors from across the region for performances, vendors, family activities, and creative experiences.

The 20th Anniversary June 4-7, 2026 was a major community celebration featuring regional musicians, artists, performers, vendors, and partner organizations. Throughout the four-day event, visitors experienced live entertainment, visual arts, hands-on activities, and opportunities to connect through shared cultural experiences.

*NIC Fest, photo credit Wyoming Out Loud.*

While visitors experience only a small portion of The Nicolaysen Art Museum’s Permanent Collection, the museum is responsible for preserving over eight thousand artworks that reflect the artistic and cultural history of Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain region.

In the photograph below, Will Davis works within the museum’s collections vault, located in an addition built as part of the museum’s transformation of the former Casper Lumber Company building. The historic site once housed Casper’s first electric company before being renovated into the museum’s permanent home in 1990. The original brick structure remains at the heart of the museum today, connecting the preservation of art with the preservation of local history. Artworks are carefully stored, documented, inventoried, and monitored to ensure they remain protected for future generations. By preserving these objects and the stories they carry, The NIC helps maintain a lasting record of Wyoming’s cultural heritage and artistic legacy.

*Will Davis hangs artwork in the Nicolaysen Art Museum’s collections vault.*

The Nicolaysen Art Museum’s vision for the future includes building a stronger endowment to ensure that art, education, exhibitions, and community programming remain accessible for generations to come. A $10 million endowment would provide transformational support for the museum’s long-term sustainability and strengthen its ability to serve the community regardless of economic conditions. This would generate enough annual support to cover the majority of staff and utility costs in perpetuity. This level of financial stability would allow the museum to focus more resources on exhibitions, educational programs, collections stewardship, and community engagement while preserving the museum’s role as a cultural anchor for Wyoming.

The Mueller Sculpture Garden represents both what The NIC has built and what it hopes to sustain. As a year-round public space that welcomes visitors of all ages, the sculpture garden reflects the museum’s commitment to accessible arts experiences and serves as a reminder that investments made today can continue benefiting the community far into the future. You can support this commitment to accessibility.

*Mueller Sculpture Garden is a year-round public space that welcomes visitors of all ages, the sculpture garden reflects the museum’s commitment to accessible arts.*

The Nicolaysen Art Museum joins14 other organizations as a member of the first-ever Culture Grows Grantee Cohort, a grant line from Wyoming Humanities dedicated to growing connection and elevating Wyoming’s cultural network through regular convening of the cohort.

Grantee: Johnson County Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum

By Wyoming Humanities & Johnson County Jim Gathchell Memorial Museum | June 24, 2026

The Johnson County Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum began in the back room of Jim Gatchell’s pharmacy in 1903 in Buffalo, Wyoming. Jim Gatchell wrote about and collected local and regional history for almost 50 years.When he died in 1954, his descendants donated his collection to Johnson County for the creation of a formal museum. The doors opened three years later in May of 1957 after community fundraising. Today, the Johnson County Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum is a nationally accredited museum with the American Alliance of Museums, a Blue-Star Museum, and an IMLS National Medal recipient in the Class of 2023 Museum category.

The Johnson County Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum is operated with a full-time staff of three, one part-time staff, and a dedicated group of volunteers year-round. When the museum expands to summer hours, they additionally manage four to five summer staff. Sylvia Bruner began her career at the Gatchell as the Collections Registrar in 2003 and became Director in 2016. Jennifer Romanoski has been the Museum Educator since 2009 and additionally manages social media and exhibits. Kelsey McDonnell has managed membership, merchandise, marketing, and much more as the Museum Assistant since 2018. Part-tim Collections Manager Jenn Anderson (not pictured) facilitates research requests, collections work, database management, and donations since 2024. Volunteers have helped with exhibits, store sales, collections paperwork and database entry since 1957.

As noted above in 2023, the Johnson County Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum became one of fifteen finalists in the Museum category for the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Medals Class of 2023. This is the highest achievement a museum can earn in the field. The Johnson County Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum was one of four winners in the Museum category and a volunteer and staff went to the White House to receive the medal.

Institute of Museum and Library Services Recognition Ceremony. Pictured left to right: Former First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Jim Gatchell Museum volunteer Keelyn Byram, Jim Gatchell Museum Director Syliva Bruner, and IMLS Director Crosby Kemper.

Continuing in the same spirit of success and ingenuity, the Johnson County Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum has created a Wisdom Council of seven Indigenous scholars and elders for the reinterpretation and redesign of Indigenous culture and history in our Native American gallery. The Museum’s goal is to extend Indigenous history throughout the museum and expand our Indigenous programming in schools and across the community.

The Johnson County Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum is a 2026 Culture Grows Grantee of Wyoming Humanities, and a member of the first Grantee Cohort moving through the year with 14 other nonprofit cultural organizations.

Grantee: Bookmarked Literary Arts Festival

By Bookmarked Literary Arts Festival and Wyoming Humanities | May 14, 2026

Bookmarked Literary Arts Festival reflects the vision of our founders, Ami Vincent and Alma Law. Their goal was to create an event that inspires readers and writers by giving voice to our shared Wyoming experience. Since its inception in 2020, Bookmarked has grown into a three-day festival with over thirty Wyoming authors in attendance. Our vision, mission, and values allow the Bookmarked Board of Directors to continue the founders’ goal of celebrating the art of writing by connecting writers and readers in a supportive setting.

Ami Vincent, Bookmarked Literary Arts Festival Founder

Vision: Bookmarked elevates Wyoming literary arts.

Mission: Bookmarked exists to connect writers and readers and to celebrate the art of writing.

Values: Collaboration, Local, Connection, Celebrating Creativity, Shared Literacy

Now in its seventh year, Bookmarked Literary Arts Festival is a three-day event. The festival is scheduled for October 9 – 11, 2026 in Lander.

And thanks to our 2026 Culture Grows Grant, we are pleased to announce our new Meet a Wyoming Author speaker panel. In May and September, Bookmarked will invite three authors to participate in our evening speaker panel. During the day, the authors will work with students in area schools. Bookmarked will distribute free books to the public through our partnership with Fremont County Libraries. Participating area schools will receive free copies of the authors’ books for the students and teachers.

The Bookmarked Literary Arts Festival began in 2020 when a Wyoming author approached a Lander librarian looking for help launching her book. A book that was not about cowboys. A book that explored the shared Wyoming experience. The Wyoming experience that is more than, but also includes, the Wild West. The library did not have a system for helping connect local authors to local readers, and as a writer herself, that librarian, Ami Vincent, began to wonder what it might look like to create a space that celebrated Wyoming writers as literary artists and connected them with Wyoming readers.

The idea bloomed through the pandemic years and grew into a literary art show for writers and a story festival for readers. And now, over three days each fall, we gather to share stories and celebrate the art of writing. In 2025, over thirty authors attended the Bookmarked Literary Arts Festival. Ami Vincent’s vision inspired the board to continue making this a FREE festival!

The Bookmarked Literary Arts Festival is a 2026 Culture Grows Grantee of Wyoming Humanities, and a member of the first Grantee Cohort moving through the year with 14 other organizations.

Grantee: Sweetwater County Historical Museum & Foundation

By Sweetwater County Museum Foundation & Wyoming Humanities | April 9, 2026

The Sweetwater County Museum Foundation is the fundraising arm of the Sweetwater County Historical Museum. The museum has been preserving the history and heritage of Sweetwater County since 1967 and connects residents and visitors alike to the story of Sweetwater County by preserving and presenting its natural and cultural history. From prehistoric environments to outlaw tales, the museum offers a glimpse into 250 million years of history in Sweetwater County through exhibits and outreach events.

The museum is housed in the renovated 1931 Green River Post Office. Nestled in downtown Green River, Wyoming, visitors are minutes away from the historic Union Pacific train depot and have views of the bluffs surrounding the town. Exhibits take visitors through the history of the region by sharing stories of Native American tribes that have called the area home for thousands of years. Next they learn about the fur trappers who turned into explorers and led emigrants on the overland trails. Visitors then see how the trail landmarks turned into stagecoach stops and railroad towns. Throughout the gallery, people can explore the industries that shaped the county in the 1870s and are still a part of modern life, like ranching, homesteading, and the mining industries. Sweetwater County has a multicultural past and present, which visitors can get a taste of with exhibits showcasing artifacts and historic photos representing Rock Springs’ 56 nationalities.

Being located in the biggest county in Wyoming means the Sweetwater County Historical Museum is dedicated to reaching residents throughout the county, from Bairoil to McKinnon, and everywhere in between. Through interpretive signs at the Reliance Tipple, a historic coal-processing structure, and an exhibit at the Superior Museum, the museum extends their reach and brings local history directly into community spaces.

Outreach and educational opportunities are paramount to the museum’s mission of connecting people to the story of Sweetwater County. Through classroom kits, mini-exhibits with artifacts and activities for hands-on experiences, and museum presentations where museum staff deep-dive on a local topic, teachers can bring the museum to their classroom. Public programming is also offered throughout the year. Whether partnering with local organizations like the Boys & Girls Club or the Sweetwater County Libraries, or presenting to the Chamber of Commerce or Sweetwater County Tourism, there are opportunities to connect with a wide audience. The museum’s annual Día de los Muertos event features community partners teaching about the Mexican holiday of Day of the Dead through food, dancing, and cultural traditions.

From research material to cultural celebrations, the museum offers everyone a chance to experience the history and culture that have shaped Sweetwater County.

The Sweetwater County Museum Foundation is a 2026 Culture Grows Grantee of Wyoming Humanities, and a member of the first Grantee Cohort moving through the year with 14 other organizations.

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Grantee: The Arts & Humanities | Trapper Creek Workshop & Lecture Series

By Wyoming Humanities & AH|TC | March 5, 2026

The Arts & Humanities | Trapper Creek Workshop & Lecture Series (AH|TC) is a first-of-its-kind forum in rural Wyoming. AH|TC’s mission is to oﬀer inspired artistic and educational gatherings that explore beyond the casual and ordinary: scholarly exchange, forward-thinking ideas, lively and tough discussion, and hands-on practical application in the Greater Big Horn Basin. Artists and scholars from all disciplines and subjects around the world are invited to create imaginative, engaging, and productive experiences based on their expertise, in workshop or lecture format, or both.

The Arts & Humanities | Trapper Creek Workshop & Lecture Series is a program of Big Horn County Citizens for Economic Development, a recipient of Wyoming Humanities’ Culture Grows General Operating Support Grant. The Big Horn County Citizens for Economic Development is a small grass roots board that currently has 12 members and four officers, with a goal to enhance the prosperity and quality of life for all residents of Big Horn County.

AH|TC is operated by Barb Fiedler, who manages the communications, advertising, record keeping, artist/scholar logistics, event coordination, and outreach. A big lift for one woman, but a big impact for the community of Shell, Wyoming. A wildly popular program, that had been on repeat for AH|TC, is Digital Storytelling: Capturing Oral Histories and Production by Four-time Emmy-winning TV Producer Jesse W. Green. The class is intimate and informal with plenty of Q&A. While he is not included in our 2026 season, we hope to welcome him again soon.

One of the most popular events over the last two years was Dr. Erik Kvale’s Two million Years of Geologic Calamity in the Shell Valley. Dr. Kvale is a consummate field scientist and teacher. His roadside stops are exciting and full of information, loads of questions, and engagement.

Bringing Together People and Place in Working and Public Lands in the Greater Big Horn Basin panel discussion was challenging but was widely attended. The afternoon started with a few talks from noted speakers, and then the group gathered in a circle for an intimate Q&A session. We brought together locals, interested next generation residents, ranchers, a former Game Warden, and business owners. Also attending was the Dean of the Natural Resources College at UC Berkeley.

Wherever you are in Wyoming, you’ll want to find yourself in Shell for at least one of their upcoming workshops or lectures. The 2026 AH|TC lineup is:

March 14: Private guided tour with BBCW Plains Indian Museum Curator Hunter Old Elk

May 16-16: The Art of Mending: Japanese Boro Stitching and Sashiko with textile historian and artist Carol Ziogas

June 6: Birding in the Shell Valley with BBCW Draper Natural History Museum Curator Corey Anco and Wyoming Audubon’s CJ Grimes

June 19: Impacts of Chronic Wasting Disease in the Wind River and Greater Big Horn Basin with Tucker Russel (we hope to keep a conservation event each year)

July 18: Skulls, Bones, and Big Horn Buttes: Sketching the Iconic Images of the West with returning artist Diane Fiedler

August 22: Artisan Cookies: Creating Memorable Iced Cookies and Joy with local cookie artist Karen Hayes

September 12: Two million Years of Geologic Calamity in the Shell Valley with Dr. Erik Kvale – back by popular demand!

You can register for any of the events above at https://www.ahtc-wy.org/ and be sure to follow The Arts & Humanities | Trapper Creek Workshop & Lecture Series on Facebook.

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WPR Article: Trump funds NEH again, but what that means for WY Humanities is unclear

By Wyoming Public Radio | By Hannah Habermann Published February 13, 2026 at 11:35 AM MST | February 17, 2026

Pres. Trump recently signed a budget bill that included ongoing funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for the 2026 fiscal year. But what that means on the ground in the Cowboy State is still unclear.

The funding comes after the federal government abruptly terminated NEH grants to humanities councils across the country last spring, including a $850,000 grant to Wyoming Humanities. The NEH allocates funding for state humanities councils every year, according to a legislatively mandated formula. Some saw the grant terminations as a violation of that obligation.

Funding the NEH this year is a pivot from last spring, when the Trump administration proposed entirely defunding the NEH and NEA, along with multiple other government agencies.

The cancelled Wyoming Humanities grant accounted for roughly 80% of the nonprofit’s budget and ultimately pared its staff of six down to two.

The 55-year-old organization typically receives funding every year from the NEH. It’s at the center of a statewide web of community organizations and historic sites, and supports programming like educational lectures and museum exhibits across Wyoming.

Grantee: Laramie Plains Civic Center, Gorgon Gallery

March 16, 2025

The Laramie Plains Civic Center’s Gorgon Gallery will host local artist Ismael Dominguez’s installation Migración: Betabeleros, an evocative new exhibition exploring the histories, resilience, and cultural contributions of migrant agricultural workers in the Rocky Mountain region. The show will run from March 8 to April 30, with an opening reception on March 8 from 6 to 8 p.m., featuring artist talks and community discussions with the University of Wyoming’s linguistics scholars, Drs. Escalante and Domenech.

This exhibition highlights the experiences of betabeleros—migrant laborers who worked the sugar beet fields of Wyoming and the surrounding areas. Through textile-based sculptures, historic photos, and recorded narratives, Migración: Betabeleros sheds light on the enduring impact of these workers and their families, many of whom laid the foundation for today’s Latino communities in the region.

“This work is an homage or offering to my ancestors and living family members who carried themselves and our lineage through the fields, of their own volition or not, so I could have the privilege of never having to know that kind of manual labor,” Dominguez says of his installation. “For my family and others who would travel hundreds of miles, chasing the seasons and ripening crops, who packed their homes into a car or bus to travel to an unfamiliar place, I am honored to carry a sliver of their stories forward.”

The Gorgon Gallery, located in Room 332 of the Laramie Plains Civic Center, is dedicated to showcasing identity-based and socially engaged art. Since its opening in April 2023, the gallery has served as a vital space for underrepresented voices, fostering dialogue and connection through the power of visual storytelling.

Visitors can explore Migración: Betabeleros from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday-Thursday or by appointment. Admission is free, ensuring that all members of the community have access to this important cultural exhibition. This event has been made possible with partial funding by Wyoming Humanities, Artillect, KOCA Radio La Montenesa, and public donors.

In addition to viewing the show, the public is invited to contribute their own stories about Wyoming’s sugar beet industry, whether through personal or family histories, memories of working in the fields, or reflections on how this labor shaped local communities. By sharing these experiences, participants help preserve and expand the narrative of the betabeleros,

Ensuring their resilience and contributions are recognized for generations to come. Stories can be submitted online at lpccwy.org/gorgongallery or by emailing awallace@lpccwy.org.

Stickers featuring the exhibition’s migrating homes will be available for sale in the gallery to support the continuation of Migración: Betabeleros through the Front Range.

Learn more about this project and the history of Betabeleros on Ismael’s Website.

Grantee: CamBio Wyo, LLC

January 15, 2025

In celebration of Black History Month in February, Wyoming Humanities highlights a Spark Grant awarded to CamBio Wyo, LLC for Tracks of Frontier Faith, a museum exhibit that explores the life and legacy of Lucinda Philips, a former slave from Kentucky who helped to establish the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Wyoming. She was a laundress, established the first garden in Cheyenne, and bought and sold properties. Lucinda’s story is about the history of Wyoming and the role that African Americans played in the West. The exhibit showcases a rich history of social activism, community building, and religious scholarship that can contribute to the ongoing conversation about the role of women, especially in Wyoming. You can view the exhibit at the Wyoming State Museum from February 1st to April 30, 2025. For additional information on the exhibit, contact project director Dr. Camellia Okpodu at camstuff24@gmail.com.

Other incredible stories that have made Wyoming what it is today are available to explore at wyohistory.org. Some of the more notable for this month include:

This Great Struggle: African-American Churches in Rock Springs

Mathew Campfield: Barber, Coroner and Pioneer Survivor

Making a Home in Empire, Wyo.

Buffalo Soldiers in Wyoming and the West

Breaking a Stereotype: Black Rancher Alonzo Stepp