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

Actor's Mission & friends present dinner theatre at renovated Broadway Theatre in Rock Springs

Find out more at http://www.facebook.com/TheBroadwayTheater
and http://www.facebook.com/actorsmission

Sean Hart's new Laramie co-op gallery is looking for artists

Painter Sean Hart has a gallery at 404 S. 2nd St. in downtown Laramie. It's called 2 Bazaar Gallery. He is opening another space. He describes his plans this way:

We own another building in downtown Laramie that has been vacant for over a year and I want to open it up to artists as a gallery based on a co-op model. There is about 5,400 square feet on two floors. The second floor has a stage, lighting and sound system and possible artist studio spaces. The university and others have done plays and events there. I am not doing this to make money. It is just that the space has been empty and I have done art shows and sales there with some success. Here is my plan as I see it now. I am open to suggestions and ideas. 

I plan to charge an 18 percent commission on sales. This is what I figure it will cost for insurance, utilities, credit card fees, maintenance etc. Each artist will be required to open the gallery on a Saturday on a rotating basis. If we have 12 artists that would be once every three months. We will set up a studio space in the front window where they can work on art pieces while they run the gallery.

In the beginning we will need to advertise. A 3x4 inch ad in the Laramie Boomerang newspaper is about $60.If 12 artists contribute, that's only five dollars each. Once a month or maybe twice a month we will have an artist reception with featured artists. 

The building is ready to begin accepting art and could be open soon with just four artists to start as early as Saturday, Oct. 20. We plan a big holiday sale. 

If you're an artist interested in this venture, contact Sean at 307-742-2888 or email him any time at LYSETTE555@earthlink.net.

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.  

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.  

"Upstairs, Downtown" in Laramie Aug. 17

On Friday, Aug. 17, 3-7 p.m., Laramie will hold a "home tour" of downtown's second floor remodeled lofts and apartments. Tickets are $10 per person in advance, $15 the day of and can be purchased at the Laramie Main Street office at 207 Grand Ave. M-F 11 to 3 p.m. or by calling 307-760-3355.

The Upstairs/Downtown tour is sponsored by Mountain Valley Properties, Pence and MacMillian, Advantage Real Estate, The Mortgage Source and Wolf Creek Broadcasting: Hits 106.

FMI: http://www.facebook.com/wyomingartscouncil#!/events/431933180170260/

Casper unveils newest public art project Aug. 16

Click to enlarge

Get tix now for May 19 CIFF event honoring filmmaker Daniel Junge

The Cheyenne International Film Festival is honoring Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Daniel Junge on Saturday, May 19. The full evening event is selling out, but CIFF is offering tickets for the films, interview and questions and answers with Daniel Junge. The films include “One Day” which is Daniel’s latest short film followed by the Oscar-winning “Saving Face.” Tickets are also available at the Phoenix Books and Music walk-up box office 1612 Capitol Avenue in Downtown Cheyenne. Tickets for the reception honoring Daniel Junge are also on sale online and at the box office.

Plaza Diane's namesake would be thrilled to see downtown Powell these days

Andrew Michler, a writer who writes about sustainable building practices, has profiled Plaza Diane, in Powell, on his website. Take a gander at the slide show of how this old corner gas station was updated and made into a contemporary art space, both inside and out.  

The image is not great, but the photos of this arts center on the Andrew's website are sharp and show several views of the outside and inside of the remarkable transformation.