Civic Center receives Rocky Mountain Power Foundation grant for Gryphon Theatre upgrades

This fall, the Laramie Plains Civic Center (LPCC) received a grant from the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation to support audio system upgrades for the historic Gryphon Theatre, originally built in 1926.

The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation, established in 1988, has awarded more than $77 million to nonprofit organizations through charitable investments that foster the growth and vitality of communities served by Rocky Mountain Power and Pacific Power.

The grant contributes to the Gryphon Theatre’s comprehensive modernization project, which began in 2022. This multi-phase initiative includes funding from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, Albany County and City of Laramie Community Partner Funds, and private donors. The final funding phase focuses on upgrading on-stage components to enhance audio quality for both performers and audiences.

These improvements reflect LPCC’s commitment to preserving the Gryphon Theatre’s historic character while equipping it with the tools needed to host diverse programming—from community theater and concerts to public forums and educational events.

Regional grant funds like this play a vital role in advancing LPCC’s mission to foster community connections, nurture creativity, and build an enriched future. With these updates, the Gryphon Theatre is poised to better serve as a hub for creativity and collaboration in the Laramie community.

Special thanks to the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation for their ongoing support of projects that strengthen organizations like LPCC and enrich communities across the region.

Celebrate Local Creativing: Artists Sunday Market Expands for 3rd Year

On the Sunday following Thanksgiving, over seventy artists will gather at the Laramie Plains Civic Center (LPCC)’s Artists Sunday Market, inviting the community to celebrate the start of the holiday shopping season and support the creative economy.

Now in its third year, the Artists Sunday Market is part of a national movement celebrating artists as essential contributors to economic and cultural growth. This one-day event, aligned with the broader Artists Sunday initiative, unites over 500 communities across the United States, encouraging residents to support local artists and appreciate the arts. Artists of all mediums will showcase their work, providing unique, locally-made gifts and artwork for holiday shoppers.

This year’s event, held on December 1, is hosted in collaboration with the Laramie Main Street Alliance’s (LMSA) Small Business Saturday. “This season is a crucial time to support local businesses and creative entrepreneurs who bring so much value to our town,” said Jessica Brauer, LPCC’s Executive Director. “Partnering with Downtown Laramie to champion the ‘Shop Local’ mission highlights the impact of buying locally, especially during the holidays.”

Positioned in the heart of the holiday shopping weekend, the Artists Sunday Market follows Black Friday and Small Business Saturday and precedes Cyber Monday. Shoppers will find a wide array of vendor booths offering handmade jewelry, paintings, textiles, ceramics, and more. This year’s market will also feature live music from six local ensembles and soloists, plus seasonal refreshments from Sunshine Coffee.

“We’re thrilled to double the footprint of the market this year, welcoming our largest vendor lineup to date and introducing new partnerships that offer gift wrapping, refreshment options, a photo booth, and youth artist vendors,” Brauer added. “We hope this event inspires Laramie to support our local creatives and discover the unique offerings found right here in town.”

The market runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the North and South Gyms of the LPCC, accessible from Garfield or Custer Street entrances.

The Laramie Plains Civic Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering community connections, nurturing creativity, and supporting an enriched future. Learn more at www.lpccwy.org.

Civic Center receives $25,000 for energy audit & retrofit funding from Wyoming Energy Authority

This fall, the Laramie Plains Civic Center (LPCC) received funding support from the Wyoming Energy Authority (WEA) through its Energy Audit and Retrofit grants.

The Wyoming Energy Authority advocates for and advances Wyoming’s energy economy, powering our nation and securing a prosperous future for Wyoming’s energy and natural resources.

Funding from WEA, combined with contributions from LPCC, will support a Standard Level 2 Energy Audit and enable key retrofit activities identified by the audit. Energy efficiency upgrades have been a strategic priority for LPCC since 2022, aligning with efforts to modernize outdated building systems and mitigate rising energy costs.

Regional grant funds play a vital role in supporting LPCC’s mission to foster community connections, nurture creativity, and build an enriched future. Special thanks to the Wyoming Energy Authority and its partners for their support of initiatives that strengthen businesses and organizations like ours across the state.

Spooky Party at Sunshine Coffee Raises Funds for Civic Center

Come celebrate one year of Sunshine Coffee on Friday, November 1st in the South Gym at 8 PM.

Food, music, drinks, and GHOST TOURS of the Civic Center!

More details to come - all proceeds from this event will benefit the Laramie Plains Civic Center.

(Spooky Party entry is free)

Buy your ghost tour ticket here - https://lpccwy.networkforgood.com/.../77773-spooky-civic...

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Free Family Movie: Coco for Día de Muertos

Join us for this FREE family movie showing presented by Laramie Main Street's Día de Muertos and the Gryphon Theatre on Sunday, November 3rd at 3 PM.

A boy named Miguel dreams of becoming a famous guitar player despite the misgivings of his close-knit family. When his lofty ambitions cause him to run afoul of a curse, he must journey into the Land of the Dead to seek forgiveness from his ancestors.

Run time is 109 minutes. Doors open at 2:30 PM

Albany County Recreation Board funds LED light upgrades for Civic Center gyms

This summer, Laramie Plains Civic Center was a recipient of the Albany County Recreation Board’s funding for LED light upgrades to the North and South Gyms.

The Albany County Recreation Board’s (ACRB) primary source of funding is the one-mill recreation levy imposed by the Albany County School Board. The ACRB awards funding for proposals for recreation projects, which may include facilities, construction, programs, equipment, operations, and maintenance to the City of Laramie, Albany County, the Town of Rock River, and Albany County School District No. 1.

LPCC will receive $15,000, which will be leveraged with Rocky Mountain Power’s energy efficiency upgrade incentives to support the addition of LED fixtures. These upgrades will impact the facilities’ quality of light, lower energy use by 60%, and maximize incentives from Rocky Mountain Power. This project is estimated to be completed early in the new year.

LPCC continues to explore funding resources to complete these upgrades building-wide.

Grant funds from our local partners are crucial to the nonprofit’s mission to serve as a community fostering connections, nurturing creativity, and ensuring an enriched future. A special thank you goes to the elected officials who took the time to hear the needs of our rich community of nonprofit organizations.

In the Gallery: Prayers on Fire Solo Exhibition from Kelwin Coleman

Prayers on Fire is a solo exhibition juxtaposing sports based masculine imagery against queer based religious ideology. Through intaglio, cyanotype, relief and drawing based printed 2d works on paper, wrestlers are collaged; they are distorted into submissive poses that harken towards the spiritual. The work is meant to create a direct connection between the aggressive nature of sports and solitude of masculinity by introducing queerness and religious contemplation. 

Violence through sports and competition is viewed as safe whereas violence outside the arena is a crime. What propagates our need to see and facilitate masculine aggression within these acceptable guidelines and what happens when they take on a revised context? The prayers that influence the titles of most of the work in the exhibition are prayers of a submissive nature. They explore the wrestlers pose into acts of contrition and openness to and through vulnerability.

The exhibition will be featured in Laramie, WY 26 years after the death of Matthew Shepard. Although legislation has been passed for processing hate crimes, there remains a disparity between how queer hate is manifested through challenging masculinity and accompanying activities like sports. Our culture celebrates and indulges in controlled physical contact sports; we embrace male brutality within these arenas. Masculinity, when re-contextualized, elevates this brutality to savagery. This exhibition is interested in starting that conversation and asking why?

Edward J. Kempf defined "gay panic" as a condition of "panic due to the pressure of uncontrollable perverse sexual cravings". The defense of gay panic is often introduced and barred from cases involving queer based hate crimes. Prayers on Fire questions what underlying curiosities exist within masculine sports culture violence. How do we resolve the threat of this panic if not through opening the doors for discourse between these positions of affirmative and submission.

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The artist, Kelwin Coleman, will be at Gem City Nights at the Downtown Farmer’s Market on September 6 from 5-7 PM hosting a community workshop. Find the Laramie Plains Civic Center tents at the South end of the market by the stage.

In the Gallery: Juntos Florecemos

A NOTE FROM THE CURATOR

"As someone who has grown up Mexican in a very Caucasian small Wyoming town, I've seen and experienced the way us brown folk can be treated and pushed to the outside of the community; I've also seen the incredible ways we've been invited in and included. Through both of these one thing has persisted, that is the community that we find and form in order to bolster each other and raise ourselves up”

"Juntos Florecemos" is an exhibition in celebration of Latiné artists, the art we make, and the ways our support for one another helps us rise above adversity. "

- Ismael Dominguez, 2024

GENERAL INFO

Submissions will be accepted until September 12th and artists will be able to drop off work September 26th from 9am - 3pm (or by appointment).  Drop off is in the Gallery located in Room 331 of the Laramie Plains Civic Center Located at 710 E. Garfield St. If you need to arrange a different date and time please email Aubree at awallace@lpccwy.org.

Juntos Florecemos will be open to the public October 4th - December 5th. 

A public artist reception will be held in the Gorgon Gallery on October 4th from 5-7 pm. Light refreshments will be served.

Wyoming Arts Council awards Civic Center funds for free summer music and arts series

Thank you to the Wyoming Arts Council for awarding funds for the Laramie Plains Civic Center and Gryphon Theatre's free summer music and art series, Gem City Nights, hosted in collaboration with our friends at Laramie Farmers Market!

Gem City Nights is an event series aimed to showcase the vibrant Laramie music and arts scene while enjoying Laramie’s beautiful summer nights. This weekly showcase will offer attendees an opportunity to engage with performing and visual art alongside the Laramie Farmer’s Market’s food trucks, vendors, and family-friendly activities. Each Gem City Night, hosted Friday evening from August 23 to September 13, will feature two musical acts from 6 -9 PM and a free community art workshop from 3-7 PM.

WAC awarded $6,423 to support this four-week series. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details!

Interested in supporting 2024's event? Contact Adam Bender at abender@lpccwy.org.

Civic Center to Host Rummage Sale on June 7-8

Have you ever thought, "The Laramie Plains Civic Center must be full of treasures!"

You're right! Mark your calendar to join us and shop those treasures on June 7th and 8th in the North Gym (Garfield St. Entrance).

Early birds can shop Friday, June 7th, from 3-6 PM.

The sale will continue on Saturday, June 8th, starting at 8 AM.

Expect antique furniture, trinkets, electronics, building materials, and more! Cash and Venmo sales only.

All sales will benefit the Laramie Plains Civic Center's nonprofit mission to serve Laramie as a community fostering connections, nurturing creativity, and ensuring an enriched future.

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Would you, your business, club, or service group like to help the Civic Center raise funds and host this June's Rummage Sale? We have volunteer opportunities for hauling, setup, sales support, and more!

Sign up here: https://signup.com/go/euGVXLO

Interested in scheduling a group to help? Contact Jessica at jbrauer@lpccwy.org.

City of Laramie awards Civic Center Community Partner Funds

This May, Laramie Plains Civic Center was a recipient of the City of Laramie’s 2024-2025 Community Partner Funds, allocated by the Laramie City Council from the 5th Cent Sales Tax. LPCC will receive $7,233 to support operations.

Grant funds from our local partners are crucial to the nonprofit’s mission to serve as a community fostering connections, nurturing creativity, and ensuring an enriched future. A special thank you goes to the elected officials who took the time to hear the needs of our rich community of nonprofit organizations.

You can see more details on the many important organizations in our community supported by these funds here.

Play Library Now Open to Families

The LPCC’s South Gym and Play Library is now OPEN to families from 9 AM to 2 PM on Sunday - Thursday!

Sunshine Coffee Laramie and Laramie Plains Civic Center have joined forces to bring you this free, open-play space twice weekly. While you are here, take your coffee and let your young ones explore the gymnasium. The Play Library is a free collection of toys and recreation equipment to use while you’re here. Visitors are also always welcome to bring equipment or toys from home!

This project was seed-funded thanks to an anonymous donor with support from The Nest’s Rhianna Handschu and Laramie artist Angela Peterson.

Interested in supporting this project’s growth? We are currently seeking corporate sponsorships, toy and sports gear donations, and helping hands! Contact Jessica at jbrauer@lpccwy.org to learn how you can get involved.

Thank you for Playing!

Open to Families on Sundays - Thursdays from 9 AM - 2 PM unless posted otherwise.

Children must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, and/or designated adult at all times.

By participating in this open gym and entering this space you assume all risk and liability. Laramie Plains Civic Center and Sunshine Coffee not responsible for injuries or accidents.

In the Gallery: Queer Expression

Laramie Pridefest and Laramie Plains Civic Center's Gorgon Gallery (710 E Garfield, Rm 331) are thrilled to announce our collaborative art show: Queer Expression! This is an open call for local Laramie and Albany county artists and we especially encourage 2SLGBTQIA+ Wyoming artists to apply! The application is open.

Our joint organizations will hold an opening reception on SATURDAY JUNE 1st from 5 to 7 PM to help us kick off to June Pride Month and celebrate Laramie's local LGBTQ+ artist community.

-The general open show will open to the public from June 3rd - July 25th.

If you want to submit your work, your artwork can be submitted until Thursday, May 2nd.

SUBMIT YOUR WORK AT: https://forms.gle/ZCCvgzzYHYwjA1SCA

SHOW STATEMENT:
Queer Expression is a collaborative show with Laramie Pridefest on the start of Pride Month to showcase the celebration of the myriad forms of queer identity in the West. Through the lens of art, this exhibition seeks to illuminate the rich tapestry of 2SLGBTQIA+ identities, experiences, and narratives in Laramie. From bold statements challenging societal norms to intimate reflections on personal journeys, each piece invites viewers to explore the beauty and complexity of queer rural existence. This show celebrates the power of art to uplift local queer voices, provoke thought, and foster connection within the local LGBTQ+ community and beyond. The artists showcased in this exhibition are invited to engage with diverse perspectives, embrace authenticity, and envision a world where all expressions of love and identities are celebrated. 

Save the Date for Our Preservation Month Tour!

In May, LPCC is joining the Alliance for Historic Wyoming to celebrate Wyoming's Historic Preservation Month! The property, built in 1878, has served as a destination for the arts, education, recreation, and community resources for nearly 150 years.

Join us for a building tour on Wednesday, May 15th from 5-7 PM, where we will showcase some of the historic property's unique features and explore how the expansive building is serving as a hub for Laramie's creative community today.

The tour will begin with refreshments at the Custer St. lobby. Please wear comfortable shoes. There's lots to see!

In the Gallery: Woman - Perspective from the Feminine

Here's to You: Browse the Digital Mini-Magazine

We are grateful to celebrate over 100 generous humans and organizations who rallied behind the LPCC's mission to serve as a community fostering connections, nurturing creativity, and ensuring a rich future in 2023. Here's to you! 🥂

Our mini-magazine is a nod to the artists, thought-leaders, and playful spirits within the Laramie Plains Civic Center and invites you to lean into your creativity too!

At the Gryphon: Battle of the Bands

Doors at 7 PM - Show starts at 8 PM

Local bands from the greater Laramie area compete for prizes and the Golden Gryphon!

 6 bands will compete with 15 minutes of original music back to back.

 Fans in the audience can vote for their favorite and help determine the winner.

 Refreshments will be served in between sets all at the glorious Gryphon Theater!

 Come support your favorite band and check out some of the newest bands the Laramie scene has to offer!

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In the Gallery: Mindful - Art Making as Meditation

In the Studio: Free Creative Aging Courses in Ceramics & Printmaking

A little about the programs

The Creative Aging Program, hosted by the Laramie Plains Civic Center is completely free and is made possible through funding by the Wyoming Arts Council and the Wyoming Health Department.  We have designed four separate program opportunities with two printmaking classes and two ceramics classes.  Each class will be taught by a local teaching artist. These programs meet once a week for eight consecutive weeks, building on skills each week.  Participants must be 55 years or older to enroll.  Students are welcome to enroll in multiple programs if they wish.  The purpose of Creative Aging Programs is to encourage adults to engage in creative activities not only as an enjoyable experience but also to stimulate the brain, build community, and contribute to overall mental well-being. Learning new creative skills can be a fulfilling way to keep the mind active and healthy. Join us for these exciting programs where you can explore the world of printmaking and ceramics in a supportive and enriching environment. 

Class capacity and enrollment

Each class has different capacities for how many students can enroll.  Students will be accepted on a first-come, first serve basis by those who fill out this form.  By filling out this form, you are not guaranteed a spot in the class, as seats are limited.  Aubree will reach out to you via email to confirm your seat for the class as soon as class registration is full.  If you have questions, concerns, or have special accommodations you need to support attending this program, please contact us at (307) 745 8000 or awallace@lpccwy.org

Culminating event

To celebrate this year's programs, we will be hosting an art exhibition in the Gorgon Gallery located on the 3rd floor of the building titled "Art through Aging" this August!  Each participant will be encouraged to submit one or two pieces for the exhibition and to attend the Artist reception.  The exhibition will be set up the last week of July and the first week of August, and works will need to be dropped off to Aubree before this.  The Exhibition will be open for public viewing Monday - Thursday, 10am-8pm, from August 5th to September 19th in the Gorgon Gallery.  The Artist Reception will be held on August 8th from 4 - 6 pm. There will be food, drink, and conversation.  This is to celebrate the achievements and creations of our participants in these programs.  

2024 Class Programs

Printmaking (with Jim Jereb)
Program Date and Time: Wednesdays, 2-4 pm, March 13th - May 1st
Location: The Workshop, Laramie Plains Civic Center, 710 E. Garfield St. 

(Enter through the red doors on 7th Street)
Details: Meets once a week for 8 weeks to teach students the basics of printmaking. Students must be 55 or older to enroll.

Ceramics (with Aubree Lynn)
Program Date and Time: Mondays, 10 am - 12 pm, March 18th - May 6th
Location: Siren Studios, Rm 127, Laramie Plains Civic Center, 710 E. Garfield St, Laramie, WY 

(Enter through the entrance on 8th and Custer St.)
Details: Meets once a week for eight weeks to teach students hand-building processes. Students must be 55 or older to enroll.

Printmaking (with Ashley Quick)
Program Date and Time: Wednesdays, 4-6 pm, May 22nd - July 10th
Location: The Workshop, Laramie Plains Civic Center, 710 E. Garfield St, Laramie, WY 

(Enter through the red doors on 7th Street)
Details:  Meets once a week for 8 weeks to teach students the basics of printmaking. Students must be 55 or older to enroll.

Ceramics (with Sadie Winter)
Program Date and Time: Wednesdays, 4:30 - 6:30 pm, May 20th - July 8th (no class Memorial Day)
Location: Siren Studios, Rm 127, Laramie Plains Civic Center, 710 E. Garfield St, Laramie, WY (Enter through the entrance on the corner of 8th and Custer)
Details: Meets once a week for 8 weeks to teach students the basics of ceramics. Students must be 55 or older to enroll.

At the Gryphon: SGRNY with Shadow Work and Wynona

Don’t miss the SGRNY EP Release Party at The Gryphon Theatre with Denver’s Shadow Work and Laramie’s Wynona.

Doors open at 7 PM. Show starts at 8 PM.

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