Día de Los Muertos Community Art Commission

The Wyoming State Museum, Laramie County Library, Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, and Cheyenne Depot Museum invite artists to submit proposals for original artwork celebrating Día de los Muertos (DDLM) for the 2025 community celebrations. One artist or artist collective will be selected to receive a $2,000 payment to create a final work in partnership with the DDLM committee. The artwork must be appropriate for children and appeal to multigenerational families and people of all ages. Artists of all mediums (visual arts, music, theater, dance, folk and traditional arts, etc.) are encouraged to apply; however, the winning artist must create work that functions well for print and digital advertising. If a 3D work is created, it will need to be portrayed in 2D for marketing purposes.

Artists should represent the cultural significance of Día de los Muertos in a visually compelling way and reflect the diversity of people, places, and cultures who celebrate DDLM. Applicants must be members of a community that celebrates DDLM and demonstrate a clear connection to this tradition. 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 1, 2025. Once submitted, the four institutions will create a regional marketing campaign featuring the work.

Eligibility: Applicants must be local artists living in Wyoming or a neighboring state for at least 10 months of the year. Applicants may not be affiliated with any of the four hosting institutions as board members, staff members, or their families, or be employees of the Department of State Parks. Grant funds can be distributed to an individual or artist collective. Applications are due January 1, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. MST. Winners will be notified by March 1, 2025. Funding is made possible through the Wyoming Arts Council's Arts Access Grant. Contact Melisa McChesney at 307-630-2573 or [email protected] with questions.