2026 Día De Los Muertos

The Wyoming State Museum, in collaboration with Laramie County Library, Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, Cheyenne Depot Museum, and Railspur, invites artists to submit proposals for original artwork to celebrate Día de los Muertos (DDLM) in 2026. Cheyenne's DDLM celebrations are family-friendly and inclusive of all people. Artwork must be appropriate for children and should represent the cultural significance of DDLM in a visually compelling way, appeal to multigenerational families and people of all ages, and represent the diversity of people, places, and cultures that celebrate DDLM. Artists are recommended to be members of a community that celebrates DDLM.

One artist or artist collective will be selected to receive up to $2,000 to create a final work in partnership with the DDLM committee. The selected artist must create artwork suitable for print and digital advertising. If a 3D work is created, it will need to be portrayed in 2D to meet marketing needs. Size and format specifications will be provided, and committee members will give feedback until a final product is agreed upon. Final artwork must be submitted by August 3, 2026. Once submitted, the State Museum, Botanic Gardens, Depot Museum, and Library will create a regional marketing campaign featuring the work.

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. MST on March 15, 2026. Applicants must be local artists living in Wyoming or a neighboring state for at least 10 months of the year (or for artist collectives, at least one member must meet this requirement). Applicants may not be affiliated with the hosting organizations as board members, staff members, or employees of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. The winning artist must be able to describe how they are part of a community that celebrates Día de los Muertos, a sacred, religious holiday. Winner notification is April 15, 2026. Contact Stefanie Kowalczyk at 307-630-2573 or [email protected] with questions.