Gov. Matt Mead announces winners of Governor's Arts Awards

Governor Matt Mead has announced the recipients of the Wyoming Arts Council’s 2011 Governor’s Arts Awards.

The winners are: the Eagle Bronze Foundry, an arts organization/business from Lander; Michael C. Poulsen, artist/painter from Cody; Promoting Arts in Lander Schools – PALS, a non-profit arts organization from Lander; and Dr. Seymour Thickman, an arts patron from Sheridan.

Established in 1982, the Governor’s Arts Awards winners are selected based on their substantial contributions made in Wyoming that exemplify a long-term commitment to the arts, with special consideration given to nominees whose arts service is statewide.

There are many nominations submitted for the Governor’s Arts Awards each year, and the selection process is quite competitive. Nominations are submitted to the Wyoming Arts Council in October, and reviewed in November by the Wyoming Arts Council Board, which sends recommendations to the Governor, who makes the final decisions on which recipients are honored.

Nominations are open to any Wyoming citizen, business or community member. Award criteria includes: length of commitment to the arts, outstanding contribution or impact, breadth of support, involvement in special initiatives supporting the arts, artistic excellence/level of standards.

The Governor’s Arts Awards were first made possible by an endowment from the Union Pacific Foundation in honor of Mrs. John U. Loomis, a life-long patron of the arts. Over the years, individuals and organizations from more than 20 Wyoming communities and state-wide organizations have been honored for their dedication to the arts in Wyoming.

For reservations to the February 24 dinner and awards ceremony, or for more information on this event, contact the Wyoming Arts Council at 307-777-7742, or visit wyomingartscouncil.org to download the registration form.