The Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation (WYOREC), Wyoming Arts Council (WAC), and Wyoming State Parks (WSP) seek four Wyoming-based musicians to perform intimate, unplugged concerts in scenic outdoor settings during the summer of 2026.
In its second year, Tunes on the Trail was created in partnership with the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation, the Wyoming Arts Council, and Wyoming State Parks. This initiative combines live acoustic music with outdoor adventure, providing audiences with a unique experience in Wyoming’s scenic state parks.
Four Wyoming-based artists will be selected to perform their own acoustic concert at one of the designated Wyoming State Parks or State Historic Sites between June and September. Each unplugged performance will showcase a different Wyoming musician and include an outdoor recreation component before the concert. Each selected artist will perform a 90-minute set and will receive $550 for their performance.
Please apply by the deadline of February 6th, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Additional information is available on the Wyoming Arts Council website.
DETAILS
- Artists must be Wyoming Residents;
- Must be able to perform live;
- Must be able to perform unplugged;
- Artists will be required to host a 90 minute set;
- Sets should be accommodating to all ages (family friendly);
- Each selected artist will receive a $550.00 performance payment;
- Artists will be able to select their preferred locations in the application;
- The following will be taken into consideration: live performance ability, geographical location to participating State Park sites or ability to travel, and professionalism of materials submitted;
- Selected artists will be required to collaborate on social media posts, including pre-event promotion, one event announcement reel, and day-of on-site content;
- Participation in the hike/recreational component is not required, but encouraged.
LOCATION & DATES OF EACH PERFORMANCE
June 6, 2026: Guernsey State Park
July 11, 2026: Seminoe State Park
August 15, 2026: South Pass City State Historic Site
August 22, 2026: Hot Springs State Park
Performance times will be coordinated between the artists and the state park/historic site once selections have been made.
This program is supported and funded through the Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources Spark Tank! and is part of the Wyoming Arts Council’s Wyoming Independent Music Initiative (WIMI) to help artists perform and tour, building their audiences and reach. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Kimberly Mittelstadt, Creative Arts Specialist for the Wyoming Arts Council, at kimberly.mittelstadt@wyo.gov or 307-274-6673. Additionally, for any program inquiries, please feel free to reach out to Jamie Hansen, Outdoor Recreation Specialist with Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, at jamie.hansen@wyo.gov or 307-460-8794.
State Parks and Cultural Resources Artist in Residencies, Celebrating America’s Semiquincentennial
In conjunction with America’s 250th anniversary, Wyoming State Parks and the Wyoming Arts Council are proud to host a statewide artist residency initiative that will place 18 Wyoming artists in residencies across Wyoming’s iconic state parks. This program honors the state’s rich cultural legacy while encouraging creative reflection on Wyoming’s past, present, and future.
The residency program will feature artists representing visual arts, performing arts, folk and traditional arts, and creative writing. Selected artists will spend 4 days immersed in a Wyoming state park, concluding their residency with a public component inspired by the semiquincentennial themes:
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.
The deadline to apply is March 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
Details
- Artists must be Wyoming residents over the age of 18;
- Each selected artist will receive a $1400.00 stipend and lodging provided by the host park (depending on location, tent camping, RV site, cabin, dorm, or yurt may be available);
- Each park has a specific medium they are seeking. Artists must indicate their medium and will be able to choose which location and dates they would like to be considered for;
- The following will be taken into consideration for selection: proposed public service component and how it relates to the themes of celebrating America’s 250th, Statement of Purpose, professionalism of materials submitted, and quality of materials submitted;
- Each residency will run from Wednesday through Saturday, culminating in a required public component on Saturday. Public programs may include educational workshops, performances, exhibitions, or readings, providing meaningful opportunities for community engagement. Artists will propose their public component as part of the application process, demonstrating how it reflects the 250th themes. Artists will work with park personnel on location of program in the park;
- Both emerging and established artists will be considered; Native and folk and traditional artists are strongly encouraged to apply.
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 Park, 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 Park, Visual Art
July 29–August 1, 2026: Edness K Wilkins State Park, Visual Art
August 5–8, 2026: Guernsey State Park, Creative Writing
August 12–15, 2026: Curt Gowdy State Park, Visual Art
August 19–22, 2026: Buffalo Bill State Park, Music
August 26–29, 2026: Glendo State Park, Music
September 2–5, 2026: Keyhole State Park, Dance
September 2–5, 2026: Guernsey State Park, Visual Art
September 9–12, 2026: Hot Springs State Park, Creative Writing
September 16–19, 2026: Sinks Canyon State Park, Creative Writing
September 23–26, 2026: Keyhole State Park, Creative Writing
Through this residency program, Wyoming State Parks and the Wyoming Arts Council aim to celebrate creativity, preserve history, and inspire dialogue about Wyoming’s place in the nation’s history. Funds for this program were received through the Wyoming Semiquincentennial Planning Task Force. The grants program was launched last year and is supported with funding from the Wyoming Legislature. The grants program allows communities to recognize and celebrate Wyoming’s unique role in American history and to explore both Wyoming’s lasting legacy and future potential.