Henry Real Bird, Pat Frolander and Rick Kempa to serve as judges for March 4-5 Poetry Out Loud competition in Cheyenne

Henry Real Bird, Montana poet laureate emeritus

The 2013 Wyoming Poetry Out Loud state competition will take place March 4-5 in Cheyenne. Fourteen student competitors, teachers, parents and guests are expected. Guest judges this year are Henry Real Bird, Pat Frolander and Rick Kempa.

Born and raised on the Crow Indian Reservation, Henry Real Bird is a former Montana Poet Laureate (2009-2011). Real Bird has punched cows, rodeoed, and now ranches and raises bucking horses. He holds a master’s degree in general education from MSU Billings and has taught school from kindergarten to college levels. He has worked with the YMCA’s Writer’s Voice, won the Western Heritage Award for the National Cowboy Hall of Fame,  performed at the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Arts Festival, and performs annually at the Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada. Real Bird has had six anthologies, five poetry collections and twelve children’s books published, along with many articles, tapes and CDs.

Patricia Frolander, Wyoming’s Poet Laureate, works the family ranch near Sundance, WY with her husband, Robert. Patricia’s publications include Grassland Genealogy (Finishing Line Press, 2009) and, Married Into It, (High Plains Press, 2011), which won the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s Wrangler Award for Best Poetry Book of 2011; the Willa Cather Award by Women Writing the West for the 2012 Best Poetry Book; and Best Woman Writer of 2012 by High Plains Book Awards.

Rick Kempa, teaches writing and directs the Honors Program at Western Wyoming College. He is the author of two books of poems, Keeping the Quiet (Bellowing Ark Press, 2008), and Ten Thousand Voices, (Littoral Press). He is a three-time nominee for the Pushcart Prize, a past recipient of a Wyoming Arts Council Literary Fellowship, and is a current member of the Council’s Artist Roster. He earned his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona in 1987.

This year’s student contestants are from Sundance, Hulett, Buffalo, Hanna, Ft. Washakie, Riverton, Kaycee, Shoshoni, Cheyenne, Casper, Clearmont, Worland, Laramie, and Lander.

The event begins with a dinner for the contestants, teachers, judges and guests. The competition begins at 7 p.m. at the Historic Atlas Theater in downtown Cheyenne. The winner and runner-up are announced at the awards ceremony the next morning, which begins at 10:30 a.m. on March 5 in the Capitol Rotunda.

The winner from each state and a chaperone receives an all-expense-paid trip to compete in Washington, D.C., April 29-30 at the national finals. Among the activities is the Congressional Breakfast, where students get to meet and have photos taken with the state’s Legislators. Scholarships totaling $50,000 are awarded to the national champion and the other placers.

Poetry Out Loud is memorization and recitation competition for ninth through twelfth grade students. Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, the program is administered by the Wyoming Arts Council.

Justine Haka from the Poetry Foundation in NYC will be a special guest of the Wyoming Arts Council at the Cheyenne Poetry Out Loud  events.  

FMI: Linda Coatney, 307-777-6393 or linda.coatney@wyo.gov

Auditions for rock musical "Rent" set for Feb. 3-5

"Rent" cast performs "Seasons of Love" on Broadway on Broadway in 2005

Auditions for the rock musical "Rent" will be held on Sunday, February 3, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Monday, February 4, 4:30-6:30 p.m., and Tuesday, February 5, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Call-backs will be Wednesday, February 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m. All auditions held at the Historic Atlas Theater in downtown Cheyenne

Here's more info from the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players web site:

To audition, we ask that you sing a song from the show "Rent" or another contemporary musical. You may bring your own accompanist or an accompanist will be provided. There will be no cold readings of dialog. We may ask you to sing a song from the show after your initial audition. You will also be learning and performing a short dance. For call-backs, we will be assigning songs from the show "Rent," including duets.  

IMPORTANT!! The Director, Brenda Lyttle, is looking for singing actors who are confident and fearless. "Rent" is an adult show with adult roles, language and situations. The characters must be believable and real. The singing must be strong and confident. This show is set in the Lower East Side of New York City. Racial diversity is crucial. We  strongly encourage singing actors of African-American and Hispanic descent to audition.  

Go to this link for more details: Rent Auditions

Artists' reception for Pinedale's public art initiative Feb. 8 at Sublette County LIbrary

Sue Sommers' mural "Our Glittering World" in downtown Pinedale

Pinedale’s public art initiative, IN|SITE EX|SITE, hosts an artists reception on Friday, February 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Sublette County Library. Artists contributing work to the community will be honored, including Bronwyn Minton, JB Bond, Kirsten and Palmer Klarén, and Sue Sommers.

Grants available to develop "tourism assets" in the Lander area

If an arts organization isn't a "tourism asset" we don't know what is:

Lander's Tourism Asset Development (TAD) Program offers assistance through the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce from lodging tax proceeds from the Wind River Visitor’s Council.

All applicants are subject to guidelines for requesting Tourism Asset Development funds from the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce.  All requests require appropriate application materials and recommendation of the TAD committee and approval of the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.  Eligible candidates include groups that are able to demonstrate that their programming has a direct benefit to the tourism industry specifically in the Lander area.  The purpose of the TAD Grant program is to attract potential visitors from outside of the Lander area.

Those eligible to apply for the TAD program are non-governmental tourist-related organizations, non-profit organization, Civic organizations or tourism related organizations for the purpose of developing tourism assets in the Lander area.  Eligible expenditures include but are not limited to print media, website, radio, television.  Other expenditures may be eligible dependent upon approval of the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

TAD grants may be awarded for applications in any amount up to $1,000.

Applications must be submitted to the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce by February 1, 2013 for projects to be completed in 2013.

Call the Lander Area Chamber of Commerce at 307-332-3892.

Think "local arts" on Small Business Saturday

On Nov. 24 (or any day) in Wyoming, shop small, shop locally, shop creatively. Check out the links on our sidebar for artists, performers and writers in your community. Buy a homegrown painting, a CD, a book! Buy your loved one a ticket to a local play or concert. See more ideas on the Small Business Saturday Facebook page. You can get free downloadable signage at www.shopsmall.com. 

Calling all Cheyenne creatives!

This info comes from Alan O'Hashi of Wyoming Community Media: Do you have a New Creative Economy business that you'd like to nurture with like minds? Primary job creation will be happening not in garages but in collaborative work environments like what's being planned for The Historic Hynds Building Capitol Core Project! Join the movement! Find out more and discuss possibilities at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wyoming-Creative-MediaPlex/375593379195845

Read our latest Five Question Friday Q&A with Powell photographer Wayne Thomas

We interviewed photographer and filmmaker Wayne Thomas of Powell for our latest Five Question Friday feature on Facebook. For the full Q&A go here. 

Wayne sent us links to samples of his work. He wrote the story and shot the photos for an excellent photo-essay in Doubletake Magazine Online marking the 50th anniversary of the Selma Civil Rights March. View it at http://www.waynethomasphotography.com/selma. 

One of his favorite photographers is William Albert Allard of the National Geographic. Wayne likes his work so much that, when they met, he asked the photographer if he could do a short film about him. The trailer for this recently completed film on Allard can be found here: http://www.waynethomasphotography.com/allard.

Call for entries: Love + Light at the Loveland Feed & Grain

Call for entries from our southern neighbors in Loveland, Colo.:

We are currently looking for artists to submit their photos, conceptual sketches and art work for the 2nd Annual Love + Light at the Loveland, Colo., Feed and Grain. Artists are invited to show work that speaks to love or light in a contemporary way, paying tribute to Loveland’s rich cultural history in the fine arts and Valentine’s Day traditions.

​

All work must reflect the artists vision of love and light. We are looking for video artists, photographers, sculptors, installation artists and all other media. See samples here.

Love: a profoundly tender, passionate affection

Light: is at once both obvious and mysterious

​

This is a juried exhibition. 

Entries are due on or before: January 5, 2013

Notice of Acceptance: January 10, 2013

* submit up to 3 photos of work or conceptual sketches     

* Submit a one-page artists statement or resume

* All entries must be sent to megan@studiobluebird.com

​

Silk painting, pastels and snowflake-making on the schedule for next Art Design & Dine

Art Design & Dine, Cheyenne's monthly in town art tour is happening on Thursday, November 8, from 5-8 p.m . This month features a silk painting demonstration at The Ancient Sage, The Art Abandonment project at Artful Hand Studio and Gallery, a pastel show at the Nagle Warren Mansion and much more. Go to www.ArtDesignDine.org for all the details.

What is the Art Abandonment project?

Artful Hand Gallery located at 302 East 1st Avenue will be holding its annual snowflake-making party during the next Art Design & Dine. This year come and make one for yourself and one to abandon! Also Win Ratz will be showing participants how to make an origami envelope to put the snowflake and Art Abandonment tag in. This event is free and family friendly! For full details go here.

National Endowment for the Arts opens up application process for Our Town grants

On Oct. 11, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Wyoming Arts Council's federal partner, posted guidelines and application materials for Our Town, the agency's primary creative placemaking grants program. Pending availability of funding, grants will range from $25,000 to $200,000. 

Our Town will invest in creative and innovative projects in which communities, together with their arts and design organizations and artists, seek to:

•        Improve their quality of life;

•        Encourage greater creative activity;

•        Foster stronger community identity and a sense of place; and

•        Revitalize economic development.

Other key information:

·         Complete Our Town application guidelines are available at arts.gov/grants/apply/OurTown/index.html

·         Application deadline is Jan. 14, 2013 at 11:59 pm. This deadline is earlier than last year.

·  For Our Town FAQs, go to arts.gov/grants/apply/OurTown/FAQ.html

·  Webinars to learn more about this funding opportunity will be held on Nov. 6 and 13, 2012, at 3:00 pm EST at arts.gov

·         Program Inquiries: Email OT@arts.gov to schedule a call with an NEA design program specialist

Projects may include arts engagement, cultural planning, and design activities. Definitions of these activities can be found in the FY 2012 Our Town grant announcement. Project examples are below.

Now in its third year, Our Town has provided $11.57 million to fund 131 projects in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  Those projects are diverse in geographic distribution, number and types of partnerships, artistic discipline, and type of project. As regards population size, in FY 2012 alone, 41 of the 80 grants supported projects in communities with populations under 50,000.

To view a map of these projects along with descriptions and images, visit the Our Town section of the NEA website.

Wyoming Our Town grants:

From the NEA web site:

The Nicolaysen Art Museum, more commonly known as the NIC, received a $50,000 Our Town grant in 2011. The NIC is a leading center for contemporary arts in the Rocky Mountain region. Although the museum focuses on exhibitions, visitors can also personally engage with art creation through classes and programs at the museum's Discovery Center.

The museum plans to further improve community engagement with a pilot project that will integrate public art into a low-income housing community in Casper, Wyoming. An experienced artist will be selected to work with developers and residents to design and plan for public art, as well as green space that will serve as a gathering place for residents of the housing complex and the local community. The project will take place at the Sunshine Apartments, located at a formerly blighted site on a highly visible intersection in downtown Casper. The Nicolaysen Art Museum will oversee the artist selection process, and the Wyoming Development Authority, Grimshaw Investments & Development, and the City of Casper will construct, document, and evaluate the project with the goal of replicating the public art process in future affordable housing projects throughout Wyoming. Casper is a town of 55,000 residents.

See a short video taken at night of the completed public art piece, "Confluence," by going to http://youtu.be/ol7RI3WYu5s 

The Evanston Urban Renewal Agency received a $50,000 Our Town grant in 2012.

Here's a summary:

The Strand Theater in Evanston, Wyoming, was built in 1917 and became the premier place for entertainment, from vaudevillian acts and silent movies to modern day films and community events. In 2007, the historic building was nearly destroyed by a fire, with only three walls and the façade remaining intact. In 2008, the building owners donated it to the Evanston Urban Renewal Agency.

The agency and Sagebrush Theatre Production will use an Our Town grant for architectural and engineering plans for the interior renovation of the Strand. The historic theater will be transformed into the Evanston Cultural Center serving as a performance space for Sagebrush and other arts groups, and as a cultural hub for the community. Myers-Anderson Architecture, a local firm with extensive historic renovation experience, will design the architectural and engineering plans. It is anticipated that improvements to this cultural landmark will inspire and attract new local businesses to downtown Evanston and provide a cultural center for the city's 12,400 residents.

The Center for the Arts in Jackson received a $50,000 Our Town grant in 2012.

Info from the NEA:

The town of Jackson, population 9,900, is conveniently located near Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and other natural tourist attractions. The Center for the Arts serves as the hub for arts and education in downtown Jackson with a 41,000-square-foot Arts & Education Pavilion, a multi-tenant facility with studios, classrooms, and offices; and the Performing Arts Pavilion, which includes a 525-seat theater, a music center, and theater rehearsal space.

The Center for the Arts and the Town of Jackson, in collaboration with 20 additional local organizations, are using an Our Town grant to design the green space adjacent to the center. Renovation of this space will increase connectivity among cultural, recreational, and retail businesses and attract residents to participate in new arts programming at the center. Project activities include community design charrettes and a final schematic design for a multi-use performance park to be used for arts and cultural activities. It is anticipated that as many as 20,000 people will utilize the redesigned public space annually for cultural activities, markets, and fairs.

Here are some other examples from around the country:

Art Engagement Project Examples

Union County Arts Center in Rahway, NJ Grant: $75,000

Union County Arts Center, the City of Rahway's Redevelopment Agency, Arts Guild New Jersey, LuceGroup, Rahway Arts District, and artistic and community partners will collaborate on RAHWAY ARTsPART, a series of creative performances and community engagement activities.

RedLine in Denver, CO Grant: $25,000

The arts collective RedLine, City of Denver, and seven additional organizations will collaborate on A Village Environment, a project within the city's Sustainability Park that involves the creation of public sculptures that will produce renewable energy. The public sculptures will be commissioned via a competitive selection process, with the requirement of artistic excellence and the ability to generate power.

Cultural Planning Project Examples

City of Omaha in Omaha, NE Grant: $100,000

The City of Omaha is partnering with Love’s Jazz and Art Center and local organizations on the Street of Dreams project, part of the revitalization plans for North Omaha’s 24th and Lake Street District. The grant will support a feasibility and community design study to re-imagine Festival Square and will allow the partners to engage visual artist and urban planner Theaster Gates to transform a nearby vacant building into a central space for artists and residents.

Santo Domingo Tribe in Santo Domingo Pueblo, NM Grant: $100,000

The Santo Domingo Planning Department and Housing Authority, Enterprise Community Partners, together with five local partners, will work together on a cultural district plan for Santo Domingo Pueblo. The plan will document the cultural heritage of the Santo Domingo Tribe, establishing livable and culturally appropriate guidelines for historic adobe structures and new development.

Design Activities Project Examples

Native Village of Mary’s Igloo in Teller, AK Grant: $50,000

The Native Village of Mary’s Igloo, a federally recognized tribe, is partnering with the not-for-profit Kawerak, Inc. and the Cold Climate Housing Research Center on community engagement and design activities for the Mary’s Igloo Community Development Center. The center will be designed through three design charrette meetings with the community and with local artists. The proposed facility will include a museum, cultural heritage room, library, commercial teaching kitchen, artisan workshop, small business operation spaces, lodging for tourists, gift shop, and storage.

Austin Film Society in Austin, TX Grant: $75,000

In 2000, the City of Austin collaborated with Austin Film Society to form Austin Studios on 20 acres at the newly decommissioned municipal airport. With the Our Town grant, the partners plan to incorporate a decommissioned National Guard Building into the Austin Studios campus. The remodeled building will include affordable space for film production and education, a new exhibition and visitors center, two screening rooms, and a plaza and lobby for public events.

Zak Pullen inks new album cover for John Kirlin & The High Plains Drifters

Latest album cover by the energetic Zak Pullen of Casper. CDs are for sale at Zak's Corridor Art Gallery and Derby Boutique in downtown Casper. The band will be selling them when it plays at the Wonder Bar on Oct. 12 and at Galloways on Oct. 13.

Wyoming's creative economy on display in latest issue of Wyoming's 307 Magazine

For a glimpse into Wyoming's creative economy, read the latest issue of Wyoming's 307 Magazine. We picked up a comp copy at Ernie November in Cheyenne. But you can subscribe to this Casper-based glossy quarterly by going to http://307magonline.com.

The new issue features a Q&A with Powell artist John Giarrizzo, who left Cleveland for Powell more than 30 years ago and has been a mentor to hundreds of young artists. One of our former WAC interns, Katie Smith of Cheyenne, is now studying with Giarrizzo and his talented colleagues in the Northwest College visual arts program. John has received two visual arts fellowships from the Wyoming Arts Council, as well as the Kim Baer Award in Painting. He received a 2003 Governor's Arts Award. Thanks, John, for mentioning the WAC.

"Music Rocks" features another Q&A, this one with John Kirlin and the High Plains Drifters, a "newgrass" band whose new album, "Porch Horses," has a funny story behind it (you have to read the mag). The article also features sketches of band members by Casper's Zak Pullen.

Nicole Marron explores Lander and finds it filled with many choices, both outdoors (Sink's Canyon, Sweetwater Rocks) and indoors (Lander Art Center, Main Street Books, Lander Brewing Company).

307 Magazine (motto: "Straight from the horse's mouth") also explores the culinary arts in the form of the boom in community gardens and the debut of a new Casper eatery (J's Pub & Grill) with Chef Robert Hesse, a two-time contestant on TV's "Hell's Kitchen, supervising the kitchen. Barbecue and microbrews (this pub lists a "beer czar" on the masthead) also get articles, as does automobile art in the form of a 1958 Chevy Delray wagon tricked out by Jackson Sisneros.

Take a look...

WAC staff members and board chair join arts agency colleagues at Assembly 2012 Oct. 4-6

Arts leaders from across the nation converge in Washington, D.C., October 4-6 for Assembly 2012, the annual meeting of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA). The event is a major gathering of public arts grant makers, convening representatives from the nation's 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies.

Wyoming will be represented by Wyoming Arts Council staff members Rita Basom, Camellia El-Antably and Annie Hatch, all from Cheyenne, and Board Chair Karen Stewart from Jackson. 

Hosted by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Assembly 2012 brings together state arts agency staff and volunteer leaders, federal agencies and cultural leaders from across the nation. Participants use the Assembly as an opportunity to exchange best practices for serving citizens and to discuss the unique role that the public sector plays in improving economic, civic and educational opportunities across America.

This year's conference explores creative placemaking, with NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman addressing participants about ways that the arts and design are revitalizing communities and enhancing quality of life. Conference sessions also address creative economic development, cultural tourism, effective use of data and new frontiers for cultural resource development.

"NASAA conferences are where all of us as state arts agencies gather to learn from each other as well as from national experts on public policy and public-sector leadership," says Arni Fishbaugh, NASAA board president and executive director of the Montana Arts Council. "Participants from across the country come away with information and ideas that they can immediately put to use in their state to enhance their agencies' services to citizens."

The meeting is seasoned with performances by local artists and excursions through downtown D.C.'s Penn Quarter. Featured artists include internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, The Washington Ballet and U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey.

"We are honored to host NASAA Assembly 2012 in the District of Columbia," says Lionell Thomas, executive director of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, "We welcome the opportunity to showcase our many achievements here in the District and to share the outstanding creative talent that is such an important asset to our community."

The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies is the membership organization that unites, represents and serves the nation's state and jurisdictional arts agencies. Founded in 1968, NASAA represents their individual and collective interests, empowers their work through knowledge and advances the arts as an essential public benefit. To learn more about NASAA and state arts agencies, visit www.nasaa-arts.org.

Get your Harvest Festival on in Jackson Sept. 29

Slow food + fast music = loads of fun at Harvest Festival in Jackson

The Shoot Out Cheyenne presents 3D filmmaking workshop Sept. 29

From Wyoming Community Media:

GoPro and RealD and The Shoot Out Cheyenne (TSOC) present the Be a Hero :90 second filmmaking contest as part of TSOC 24 hour filmmaking festival. A one-day workshop is set for Saturday September 29th – Place to be determined. Kids are free and adults are $20. If adults would like to compete for The Shoot Out Cheyenne top 3D film prize, they are asked to sign up on the website http://www.theshootoutcheyenne.com/

The Best 3D film wins a 3D camera rig and will be screened on a RealD 3D monitor and viewed wit

h RealD 3D glasses at TSOC

GoPro is giving away a Be A Hero 3D camera rig for best 90 second 3D film. The films will be screened on a 3D monitor viewed through RealD glasses.

Top 10 Screening at the Atlas Theatre on Sunday October 7th. Doors open at 1pm with the program starting at 1:30pm.

There is a free 3D workshop Saturday September 29th to learn how to operate the GoPro 3D camera set and how to edit your content using the Cineform Editing Software.

The 3D workshop is unique because it will be taught by Fairview High School film students to community members and members of T-Bird Television from Cheyenne East High School.

Equipment will be loaned out to teams of one or more crew members upon providing a valid credit card and drivers license as security. Additionally, there is a $50 charge for community members to attend the workshop and create a film to be eligible to win the GoPro Be A Hero 3D camera rig.

Kudos rolling in for Cheyenne's inaugural 17th Street Arts Festival

Arts Cheyenne reports this in its latest newsletter:

More than 2,500 area residents attended and celebrated Cheyenne's first community-wide arts festival, the 17th Street Arts Festival, last month. Arts Cheyenne and the Cheyenne Downtown Development Authority hosted the event on the new Dinneen Downtown Plaza.  The Festival featured dozens of visual and performance artists in the large Artists Tent and on the Performance Stage, located on 17th Street under the new 17th Street Lighting Project.  Hundreds of artistically-minded young people also took part in the participatory children's art and dance workshops at "Emmie's Corner." You'll find a showcase of all the Festival photos on the Arts Cheyenne website.

Post-festival evaluations from both attendees and artists were enthusiastic, with high marks for organization and art sales to patrons.  Comments included:

• "Keep doing it.  Cheyenne needs more things like this." (Attendee)
• "What a great new tradition.  It's nice to have colorful community events in Cheyenne." (Attendee)
• "I was stunned and impressed.  People commented on how excited they were that Cheyenne was doing this type of event." (Artist)
• "This show had it all.  Kudos to you folks.  I'd like to come back next year." (Artist)

The Festival also received support from sponsors and grant sources, including the Dinneen Family, Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Cheyenne Light, Fuel & Power, WEST, Inc., CBS Channel 5, Traders, Visit Cheyenne, the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, and the Wyoming Arts Council.

Planning has already begun for the 17th Street Arts Festival next summer . . scheduled for August 16-17, 2013, also on the Dinneen Downtown Plaza.  

Wyoming Filmmakers' Showcase Sept. 21 at Center for the Arts in Jackson

Actors' Mission presents "The Witching Hour"

"The Witching Hour" at Actors' Mission in Rock Springs Sept. 28-30 and Oct. 4-6

Arts Incubator of the Rockies web site goes live

Beet Street in Fort Collins has announced that its new Arts Incubator of the Rockies (AIR) web site is up and running. The Wyoming Arts Council has been involved in the planning stages for AIR and invite you to check out the web site -- and to become a part of this innovative effort to "bring the Intermountain West creative community together in an exciting new way." Check out www.airArtsIncubator.org. 

To get the most out of the AIR web site, become a member today! Free and paid memberships give you access to: 

• The Knowledge Center - home to the newest, best, and coolest resources available to help you in your creative endeavors. You can search by topic, discipline, file type, or just type in keywords. You can also help out the entire AIR community by uploading the articles, videos, podcasts, and blogs that you love too

• The Opportunity Center - where you'll find job listings and internships, calls for artists, details on auditions, funding, and much more. This is also the place to find or post a great opportunity in the Intermountain West. There are powerful search filters for you to locate specific opportunity types, disciplines, state specific information, and application due dates. Paid members get access to more details about each opportunity and reduced rates to feature a listing

• AIR Share - accessible to paid members - allows you to receive feedback on your work in progress, help someone solve a problem, and get to know your AIR community. You can also comment, recommend, bookmark, and upload as many files as you want. This is truly a collaborative tool. Just imagine the possibilities it will open up for you in creating new markets for your work, networking opportunities for collaboration, and so much more           

• The Member Directory - use your membership page as a new marketing tool to tell your story and share your creative prowess. You can find other creatives throughout the Intermountain West, connect with new people and places, be inspired by other's work, and display your own. Paid members can upload unlimited audio, video, and files of work           

• The regional calendar - find a workshop, performance, or community event in your town or throughout the Intermountain West region. You can search by event category, date, state, or keyword. Paid members get discounted rates to feature events, but all members can submit events. The regional calendar can be your guide to all things art in the Intermountain West region. You can also market your amazing arts and culture events throughout the region by using the calendar. 

17th Street Arts Festival centerpiece of lively weekend in downtown Cheyenne

Cheyenne artist Georgia Rowswell is one of the 30 artists exhibiting at the first-ever 17th Street  Arts Festival . The title of this piece by Georgia is "Rock Fragment Landscape #1." It is 10" x 20" and is made of compressed strips of cast-off clothing and is contained in an old oak desk drawer. 

The inaugural 17th Street Art Festival is this Friday and Saturday, Aug. 17-18, in the Downtown Dineen Building's 17th Street parking area.

Friday kicks off with an artists' reception from 5-9 p.m. It is open to the public and will be catered by the Plains Hotel. There will be live music throughout the evening and a chance to talk with and purchase original art from over 30 regional artists. 

Saturday's show opens at 10 a.m. and goes till 8 p.m. All day music, arts activities and more are planned for Cheyenne's first 17th Street Art Festival.