WYOMING ARTS AND CULTURE DAY
Change Inspires Creativity by Patrick McGirr in collaboration with local children
Wyoming Arts & Culture Day is an annual event hosted by WyAA to bring our members, art, and culture partners together to learn and celebrate. Join us each year for legislative discussion, learning, advocacy, and community building at the Wyoming State Capitol.
Wyoming Arts & Culture Day celebrates the creativity and traditions that power our state. From arts education to local economic growth, the creative sector strengthens Wyoming’s workforce and builds healthy communities.
This is WyAA’s chance to show how arts engagement drives prosperity and reflects our shared values. When we elevate arts and culture, we are investing in Wyoming’s future.
2026 Arts ADVOCATE AWARDEES
The Wyoming Arts Alliance Arts Advocate Award is given in recognition of outstanding work to promote and protect arts and culture in Wyoming. Karmen Rossi and Steve Schrepferman
Karmen Rossi is a Community Engagement Representative for Northrop Grumman covering Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado. In this role, she builds vital relationships with military, business, and community leaders. Previously, Karmen worked for Wyoming’s members of Congress, serving as a Field Representative and Military and Veteran Affairs Specialist for U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis. During that time, she oversaw liaisons for F.E. Warren Air Force Base, the Wyoming National Guard, and the Cheyenne VA. She also served as State Director, Deputy Director, and Field Representative for U.S. Representative Liz Cheney.
Karmen currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Creative West (formerly WESTAF), a 13-state regional arts organization, where she maintains fiduciary responsibility for the organization’s $4 million operating budget and $8 million endowment. Additionally, she is a current board member and former director of the Wyoming Arts Alliance, the organization where she first began her enduring work in arts advocacy.
Her extensive leadership experience includes serving as Chairman for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum Western Art Show and Sale. Karmen’s additional nonprofit work includes serving as Interim Executive Director for the Wyoming Affiliate of Susan G. Komen, as a member of the education team for United Way of Laramie County, and as Program Director for the Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs, Italian, and Economics from the University of Colorado Boulder.
While Karmen is involved in many diverse programs and activities, she remains a fervent advocate for the arts at the local, regional, and national levels. The Wyoming Arts Alliance is proud to honor Karmen Rossi with the 2026 Wyoming Arts Advocate Award.
Steve Schrepferman is a self-employed ceramic artist and the Director of the Park County Arts Council in Cody, Wyoming. He attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and the State University of New York at New Paltz, where he earned his MFA in Ceramics.
Steve has shared his expertise by teaching ceramics and pottery in Arvada and Englewood, Colorado, as well as the Cody Art League and Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming. A lifelong arts advocate, Steve has served Wyoming through many volunteer leadership roles, including: Board Member and Chairman of the Wyoming Arts Council; Board Member of Arts Northwest; Board Member and Co-Chair of the Wyoming Arts Alliance; and Board Member, Vice President, and President of the Park County Arts Council. He served on the board of the Cody Art League, as a committee member for the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale, and currently serves on the Cody Public Arts Committee.
Steve has held solo exhibitions in New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Wyoming. His work has been featured in group exhibitions across the country, including Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico; Seattle, Washington; Camden, New Jersey; Missoula, Montana; Rapid City and Brookings, South Dakota; Alexandria, Louisiana; and various Wyoming galleries, including Laramie, Casper, and Powell. He is a recipient of several prestigious honors, including a Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship in Visual Arts and a Creative Fellowship in the Visual Arts from the Colorado Council for the Arts. His work is held in the permanent collections of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and the Wyoming State Museum.
Steve is widely recognized for his dedication and ability to advocate for the arts. The Wyoming Arts Alliance is honored to present Steven Schrepferman with the 2026 Wyoming Arts Advocate Award.