Local advocate: “The arts should be a priority for the people who want Cheyenne to change for the better”

BY STEVE KNOX

Living in a place where the air hurts my face six months out of the year is tough! For many people, it brings resentment and some uncertainty about why we stay.  

I, for one, am certain I want to stay and continue to call Cheyenne home. The weather is tough at times, but for me there is so much more. There is a culture of great people wanting more for Cheyenne. 

How do we, as Cheyenne residents, make “more” for Cheyenne?  

For me, it starts

The shops along Capitol Ave.downtown are part of the Artwalk.

with the arts. The arts and culture in the Capital City have been in a long-running slump. Those few of us who take part in the arts frequently seem to have a similar question: Why? Why does the capital city of Wyoming, the largest city in the state, have such a stagnant arts and cultural scene?    

I am not writing this to answer the question, but more to bring it to light. I truly want our little city to become a more vibrant, arts-centered community. I believe Cheyenne is on the brink of some great things, and I think the arts are just the push we need to make it happen.

Robert Motherwell, an American painter, printmaker and editor, said, “Art is much less important than life, but what a poor life without it.”

Motherwell said it perfectly! Whether you realize it, we are surrounded by the arts every day in Cheyenne. Over the last few years, several forward-thinking groups and individuals have silently and relentlessly pushed the arts. To our benefit, many of these projects have been successful and have come to fruition.

On any summer day you can find tourists taking a picture of the “Art Boots” around town. Many energetic murals adorn buildings across the city. Bronze sculptures are easy to find throughout our town. Those behind these are projects worked hard to create and bring them to life. The people who worked so hard on these projects have helped to get things rolling for the arts in Cheyenne, but we need so much more. 

Take for instance the work that Mike Morris and Arts Cheyenne have done for the music scene in Cheyenne. Morris has worked countless hours to help create and keep one of the coolest music events Cheyenne has ever seen: Fridays in the Asher.   

The Asher music series has brought nationally recognized groups to an intimate setting and made Cheyenne a viable music scene. Soon enough, with the public’s help, we will see the Lincoln Theater become another great venue for music.

Great things are happening in the music landscape, and that’s not counting the other opportunities we already have like the Civic Center, Cheyenne Frontier Days concerts, West Edge concerts, Rock the Block and the Lion’s Park Amphitheater. And the list goes on, all thanks to those who worked so hard to create these great music events and those who showed up to support them. 

Back to the question: “Why does Cheyenne have such a stagnant arts scene?”  

A few short years ago there was a Cheyenne Arts Festival hosted by Arts Cheyenne, but since then that has blown away with the wind. Finding an art gallery in Cheyenne that has regular business hours is a difficult task.  

On that note, finding much of the visual arts that is easily and regularly accessible is downright tough. Did you know Cheyenne has an Artwalk?  We do. It’s pretty much Cheyenne’s only regular visual arts celebration. (The next one is set for 5-8 p.m. on Oct. 10; more at artwalk)

The Artwalk struggles every month to pull a good crowd to the 12 or so galleries that take part. Why? Why aren’t the people of Cheyenne taking part and supporting the arts? How can we expect the galleries to be open when patrons don’t come out and support them?

I guess maybe the overproduced poster prints at Hobby Lobby are “good enough” art for the people of Cheyenne. Are we OK with settling for “good enough” when there are so many talented artists to support?

The arts should be a priority for the people who want Cheyenne to change for the better.  All cities that are renowned for being diverse, economically sound and culturally vibrant have one thing in common – the arts.  

The arts create civic and social engagement in youth and adults. The arts can provide positive, visual appearances of a community and create pride. The arts build economic growth and stimulate an economy through tourism and arts-related businesses.  

The arts can help unify a community. The arts cut across all boundaries: age, race, gender, etc. There are no boundaries for the arts, and they can only help us understand and connect with each other better. These examples are just a hint of how important the arts are to building a vibrant community. 

I’ll end it with another question: Who wants to live in a community that does not appreciate and support the arts? I don’t. I want to live in a Cheyenne that is soulful, vibrant, filled with music, art, dance and performance.  

Come on, Cheyenne. Go out and support a gallery. See a play at the theater. Or buy a piece of original art to hang in your home. 

These are the things that will take that bitter January sting off your face.

Steve Knox is a Cheyenne resident, artist and arts advocate.