This summer kicked off celebrations for America’s 250th birthday, marking the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence next Fourth of July. But as federal cuts to the humanities have sunk in, a statewide nonprofit is scaling back some of what it planned.
Four cultural groups had applied to be part of Many Voices One Nation. It’s a Smithsonian program that helps museums create locally-inspired exhibits for the 250th.
Wyoming Humanities was the state’s program coordinator in charge of distributing the funds and providing some administrative support. But they got financially gutted earlier this year and had to lay off the majority of their staff. Interim Executive Director Chloé Flagg said they can’t support it anymore.
“Currently, there's no relationship right now with our Many Voices One Nation folks, whether it be financial or programmatic support, which we're very sad about,” she said.
Three museums in Wyoming are still planning on working directly with the Smithsonian for the program. They are the Homesteader Museum in Powell, the Meeteetse Museums, and the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum in Buffalo.
The Sheridan County Public Library had originally applied but decided not to pursue it. Their director said that was due to a planned remodel and possible scheduling conflicts.
Flagg said another museum on main street program related to the 250th that the organization had been planning on bringing to Wyoming called Voices and Votes will now be coordinated by the Wyoming State Museum.
“We're really excited that the Smithsonian will still have a presence here in Wyoming even while we currently cannot manage that program,” she said.
In relation to 250th programming, Wyoming Humanities is scaling back the length of a documentary it is producing with other partners and nixing its podcast that was going to cover related themes. This is in part a result of the funding cuts it has experienced.
“We are very excited to be moving forward on the creation of the production of a documentary, a short documentary, that we will then screen throughout the state next summer in celebration of the 250th,” she said, adding that it’s in collaboration with Wyoming PBS.
Flagg said the organization is continuing to regroup and think about what’s possible.
