CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Feb. 11, 2026 — In recognition of America’s 250th anniversary, Wyoming State Parks and the Wyoming Arts Council, both part of the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, have announced a statewide artist residency program that will place 18 Wyoming artists in residencies at state parks across the state during the summer and fall of 2026.

The residency program will feature artists working in visual arts, performing arts, folk and traditional arts, and creative writing. Selected artists will spend four days immersed in a Wyoming state park and will conclude their residency with a required public program inspired by Wyoming’s official semiquincentennial theme:

• Honoring our past: Commemorate Wyoming’s history, places, and people.
• Examining our present: Review Wyoming’s role in America today.
• Imagining our future: Plan for Wyoming’s leadership in America’s future.

“We are pleased to host artists of all backgrounds and disciplines whose work reflects the rich history and landscapes of Wyoming’s state parks, places that have shaped this nation’s past, its peoples, and cultures,” said Christina Bird, district manager for Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails.

Residency artists will develop a public component that engages park visitors and local communities through workshops, performances, exhibitions, or readings. Artists will propose their public program as part of the application process and will work with park staff to determine appropriate locations within each park.

Applications opened on Monday, Feb. 2, and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. March 23, 2026, through the Wyoming Arts Council’s Submittable platform at wyomingartscouncil.submittable.com/submit. Applicants must be Wyoming residents age 18 or older. Both emerging and established artists will be considered, and Native artists and folk and traditional artists are strongly encouraged to apply.

Each selected artist will receive a $1,400 stipend, with lodging provided by the host park. Lodging options vary by location and may include tent camping, RV sites, cabins, dorms, or yurts. Each residency will run from Wednesday through Saturday and will conclude with a public program on Saturday.

Residency Dates, Locations, and Disciplines:

• June 3–6, 2026: Glendo State Park, visual art
• June 3–6, 2026: Curt Gowdy State Park, music
• June 10–13, 2026: Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site, visual art
• June 17–20, 2026: Hot Springs State Park, dance
• June 24–27, 2026: Sinks Canyon State Park, visual art
• July 8–11, 2026: Edness K. Wilkins State Park, music
• July 15–18, 2026: Buffalo Bill State Park, dance
• July 22–25, 2026: Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site, visual art
• July 29–Aug. 1, 2026: Edness K. Wilkins State Park, visual art
• Aug. 5–8, 2026: Guernsey State Park, creative writing
• Aug. 12–15, 2026: Curt Gowdy State Park, visual art
• Aug. 19–22, 2026: Buffalo Bill State Park, music
• Aug. 26–29, 2026: Glendo State Park, music
• Sept. 2–5, 2026: Keyhole State Park, dance
• Sept. 2–5, 2026: Guernsey State Park, visual art
• Sept. 9–12, 2026: Hot Springs State Park, creative writing
• Sept. 16–19, 2026: Sinks Canyon State Park, creative writing
• Sept. 23–26, 2026: Keyhole State Park, creative writing

Funding for the residency program was provided through the Wyoming Semiquincentennial Planning Task Force. The grants program was launched in 2025 with a $2 million appropriation from the Wyoming Legislature to support projects that recognize Wyoming’s role in American history and explore the state’s cultural legacy and future potential.

For more information about the residency program, visit wyomingartscouncil.org or contact Rachel Clifton, executive director of the Wyoming Arts Council, at (307) 256-0500 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Figure 1: Georgia Rowswell works on a fabric piece at Hot Springs State Park. A Wyoming-based fiber artist, Rowswell creates textured landscapes inspired by the American West using repurposed textiles. She was a 2025 Wyoming State Parks & Cultural Resources Artist-in-Residence and, alongside her husband Dave, part of the program’s first duo residency.

Contact: Rachel Clifton, (307) 256-0500; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.