Wyoming: Art in Unlikely Places

Through a long-standing partnership with the University of Wyoming’s Fine Arts Outreach program, the Wyoming Arts Council (WAC) helps bring the performing arts to untraditional venues across a large, rural state—and to people who may not otherwise have access to creative experiences. WAC’s financial, advisory and promotional support of the Art in Unlikely Places project has enabled University of Wyoming students to dance, sing and give concerts in libraries, community centers, post offices, assisted living facilities, children’s homes, prisons, power plants and even national and state parks. Art in Unlikely Places facilitates two weeks of touring performances each year at just the cost of the performers’ travel. The goal of the effort—to break down barriers to the arts—is reflected in its core belief that the arts belong everywhere and anywhere. The initiative’s success is measured not only by the enthusiasm expressed by its audiences but also by what participating arts and arts management students learn from planning and realizing performances in improbable places. To learn more, contact WAC Executive Director Michael Lange or University of Wyoming Fine Arts Outreach Director Janelle A. Fletcher.