POWELL, WYOMING – Headlined by keynote speaker Sarah Calhoun, the founder and executive director of Red Ants Pants, Northwest College hosted a special one-day event geared for local creatives, titled “WY Entrepreneurs in the Creative Sector”. With funding provided by the Wyoming Innovation Partnership (WIP), the May 15 event brought together a panel of subject-matter experts who provided detailed advice for aspiring and developing artists.
Participants were able to network and create new connections, and ask questions on topics such as entrepreneurship, business strategies, and industry-specific practices. The event was coordinated by NWC Associate Professor of Art Elaine DeBuhr, and featured Wyoming Small Business Development Center Regional Director Devan Costa-Cargill, 1330 Creative Founder and CEO Jennifer Anderson, Wyoming Arts Alliance Board Member Ryan Dineen O’Neill, and University of Wyoming Department of Economics and Fellow in the Creative Economy Jason Shogren.
“Across the state, the arts and cultural sector fuels economic growth in ways many people don’t always see by supporting jobs, bringing in revenue, attracting visitors, and strengthening communities,” DeBuhr said. “Thanks to support from the WIP Creative Economies Grant, this professional development event gave artists the tools, encouragement, and connections to grow sustainable careers, expand their creative work, and continue contributing to Wyoming’s cultural and economic vitality.”
The Wyoming Innovative Partnership is a collaborative initiative launched in 2021 to modernize Wyoming’s economy by aligning higher education with workforce development, research, and industry needs. It brings together the University of Wyoming, state community colleges and agencies, along with private partners to foster innovation and create jobs.
Attendees also heard from NWC Grant Writer & Coordinator Jacque Cobourn, NWC Assistant Professor of Business Adrian Arismendi, and NWC Instructor of Business Chris Thomas. Topics included “From Passion to Paycheck”, “Turn Attention into Revenue: How to Make Your Marketing Plan Pay Off”, “Legal and Tax Matters”, and “Creative Sector Survival in Wyoming”.
The highlight of the day’s activities was the keynote address delivered Calhoun, the founder of Red Ants Pants and the Producer of the Red Ants Pants Music Festival. Now in its 15th year, the festival annually draws tens of thousands to a cow pasture in Montana’s Meagher County.
Calhoun has received national recognition from numerous media outlets, including CNBC, CNN, Bloomberg, The New York Times, National Geographic and many others. She has twice been invited to the White House, given two TEDx Talks, was inducted into the Montana Business Hall of Fame in 2018, and was named the 2012 National Women in Business Champion for the SBA.
