Greater Learning Foundation receives Governor's Arts Award

Hot Springs Greater Learning Foundation was awarded the prestigious Wyoming Governor's Arts Award during an awards ceremony Friday evening in Cheyenne.

The foundation is dedicated to bringing arts to Thermopolis.

"This is an award for the whole community because we have so many volunteers, sponsors and partnerships," said HSGLF board member Jacky Wright. "We could not do what we do without the community support," she added.

Wright said it was a privilege to accept the award and meet Gov. Matt Mead and his wife Carol, the First Lady, during the ceremony.

One of the first outreach programs of HSGLF was the music jams, which have been going now for over 10 years. The jams were just the beginning.

Wright, the foundation's education director, forged a partnership with the schools for Arts in Education. Wright identifies potential groups or artists to bring to Thermopolis and negotiates the details. The groups hold a public performance and work with various classes within the school district.

The success of the ArtStrolls has surpassed the foundation's expectations. The stroll was expanded to Saturdays due to the overwhelming amount of interest. The foundation helped organize Smoking Waters Art Guild. They work to identify regional and local artists to display their work.

The foundation brought a new event to Thermopolis last year with the Big Horn Basin Folk Festival. It will be held again this year on August 6-7. The festival included artists and musicians who are all from Wyoming.

A long range goal of the foundation is a proposed Nature and Discovery Center in Hot Springs State Park.

The award, pictured on the right, is on display at Broadway Bygones.