Artist Sought for Downtown Mural

From galleries to the Rendezvous Royale each September to the various public art installations, it’s easy to see that Cody is an art town, as well as the rodeo capital of the world, the gateway to Yellowstone, and home to a world-class museum. And it’s about to add another art installation.

The Cody Public Art Committee (CPAC) is at it again with updating the mural on a prominent downtown wall. Public art is not always meant to be permanent. The recently installed wraps on the traffic light boxes are expected to have a lifespan of five years. This time, the space to be refreshed is the west wall of the Seidel Saddlery building (also the home of Annie’s Soda Saloon). The current mural has been there for almost 25 years, and as with the art in your home, you either get tired of it or stop really seeing it at all which usually means it’s time for a refresh.

CPAC has worked to identify possible locations for art installations and then works with business owners to determine the scope and desired subject. The Seidels are open to a new look that also provides the backdrop for the Gunfighter’s show in front of the Irma Hotel on 12th Street. Because of this, they are looking for artwork that celebrates “Cody’s rich Western heritage through a traditional and vintage style, featuring dynamic imagery that captures the spirit of the region. The composition should draw inspiration from iconic figures, frontier history, and the rugged life of the American West.”
The current mural, painted by Austin Kuck in 2001, can be found on the Park County Archives’ Public Art GIS map. Photos of the mural will remain in the archives in perpetuity so that residents and visitors may always be aware of the history of the art in that location and around Cody.

Call for Artists
A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) has been released, and the deadline for artists to apply is July 31, 2026. If you know of an artist who should apply, get the information to them as soon as possible.

The Cody Public Art Committee, working under the direction of the City of Cody, has sponsored and facilitated other art installations, including:

• the Buffalo Bill bench statue in front of the Irma
• the mural at the bandshell
• the mural on By Western Hands’ building
• the mural on the Bargain Box building
• the Sor Capana bronze statue in City Park
• the 250th mural on the west side of the [name of building] near Sitti’s Table on 13th street
• wraps on the traffic light boxes throughout town with 6 more to come
• “High n’ Dry” bronze statue at the plaza next to Legends Bookstore

Have you seen them all? The list is long, and if you get time, pay attention to the vibrancy they have added to the community one installation at a time.

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