SUBLETTE COUNTY — As the school year draws to a close, so does The Pinedale Fine Arts Council (PFAC) annual slate of offerings to Sublette County School Districts No. 1 and No. 9 and local pre-schools.

PFAC kicked off its school offerings way back in September by presenting 3 Redneck Tenors to Pinedale High School who enjoyed an introduction to Operatic singing and the blending of three vocalists with varying styles. A handful of PHS choir students joined the group on stage to fine-tune their vocal stylings and were invited back that evening to perform as part of the Tenor’s evening concert.

Other highlights from the year included instructors from Dancers’ Workshop visiting Pinedale Elementary in November to conduct workshops for PES P.E. students in what has become PFAC’s flagship week-long school residency focused on movement and an introduction to contemporary dance.

In early 2024, local artist Mae Orm worked with Pinedale preschoolers to create ceramic egg projects as part of PFAC’s annual Pre-K visual arts program.
Spring of 2024 saw a slew of PFAC arts programs take place as another PFAC flagship residency, the Eurekus STEAM program, returned to Big Piney Middle School in March for a week of workshops. BP sixth- through eighth-grade students explored everything from earth science and genetics to art and engineering. This year’s Eurekus design challenges included Hi Tech Terrariums, Sewn Circuit Soft Sculpture and Pneumatic Rocket Seed Launchers!

Following their stint in Big Piney, Eurekus returned to Pinedale in April where PMS students explored a host of integrated content through project, problem and play-based learning including eighth-graders working on tech-enhanced soft sculptures called Cuddybots - robot-inspired stuffies with sewn circuits and microcontollers.

April also saw Missoula Children’s Theatre return to Pinedale. PFAC presents MCT every other year and this Spring over 100 local K-12 students auditioned. Ultimately, 60 students were selected to perform in an adapted version of “Hercules” for a crowded Sheppard Auditorium following a week of rehearsals.

In late April, Dancers’ Workshop visited Pinedale High School teaching P.E. students country, line and two-step lessons in the lead-up to prom.

Other highlights from PFAC’s 2023-24 slate of school offerings included:

• Classical Clarinetist Igor Begelmen performing a fun, educational concert for Pre-K students
• Members of International Guitar Night stopping by Children’s Discovery Center for an intimate educational presentation.

• Dance Instructor Luke Zender working with Big Piney Elementary School and LaBarge Elementary School for a week.

• Company performers from the New Orleans-based Lightwire Theatre working with students from PHS Theater Class.

“Our school art programs are the heart of what we do here at PFAC,” Executive Director Tim Ruland said. “Providing a solid foundation in the arts helps prepare students for a wide array of interests and careers and a better appreciation for the touring theatre, dance and music companies we bring to town.”

At the local level, PFAC art programs are funded with support from Sublette BOCES, Sublette County Recreation Board, Marathon Oil, Jonah Energy, Western Sublette 9 BOCES and of course PFAC’s many individual and business/corporate donors. Additional project support is provided by The Wyoming Arts Council, Wyoming Community Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation.

Learn more about PFAC’s school arts programs at pinedalefinearts.com