The Wyoming Arts Council offers the Folk & Traditional Arts Mentoring Project Grants to support the transmission of Wyoming’s rich cultural traditions through direct mentorship. Established in 2005, the program originally received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Infrastructure grant, but it is now supported through the NEA’s Folk Arts Partnership grant. This initiative aims to preserve Wyoming’s folk and traditional arts by enabling master artists to mentor apprentices in hands-on, in-person instruction.

The grant provides up to $5,000 per project, with $4,000 allocated for the master artist’s honorarium and $1,000 for materials and travel. Each mentorship must last a minimum of six months and take place between July 1 and June 30 of the following year. Up to five projects are selected annually, with all expenses exceeding the $5,000 grant award being the responsibility of the recipient. The program prioritizes applications that involve endangered traditions, first-time applicants, or underrepresented geographic locations and artistic disciplines.

Eligible folk and traditional art forms include saddlemaking, cowboy poetry, beading and quillwork, quilting, rawhide braiding, pow wow songs and dances, German-Russian Dutch Hop, Mexican ballet folklorico, wood carving, rug braiding, fly tying, taxidermy, and similar traditional practices. Both the mentor and apprentice must apply together, demonstrating their shared cultural background, skill level, and commitment to preserving the art form. Apprentices must be Wyoming residents for at least two years before applying and should have prior experience in the craft.

Applications are evaluated by a panel of cultural specialists, folklorists, artists, and Wyoming Arts Council (WAC) board members. Selection criteria include the quality of work samples, alignment with folk and traditional arts, commitment of the apprentice, feasibility of the work plan, and prioritization of endangered traditions. The WAC board makes final funding decisions, and selected applicants are notified in June.

The 2025-2026 application window runs from February 10 to April 7, 2025. Interested applicants can apply online or download a printable application. Accommodations are available for individuals with limited computer or internet access. The grant does not support contemporary studio art, recreations of historic artifacts, academic research, workshops, conferences, or projects lasting fewer than six months.

For more information, applicants can contact the Wyoming Arts Council Folk Arts Program at 307-256-2010 or email Joshua Chrysler at joshua.chrysler@wyo.gov.