RFQ for Wyoming Photographers-Wyoming Veterans in Focus: Oral History and Photo Exhibit Project

Wyoming State Parks and Historic Sites, State Archives, and Arts Council are partnering on a project to gather and exhibit portraits and oral histories of Wyoming military service members. The exhibition will open in the Gallery at the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site (Laramie) on Memorial Day 2026. Participants will include veterans and active duty military members across branches. One portrait photographer will be selected to conduct photo shoots around the state and produce high-quality, printed, and mounted photos for the exhibition. This RFQ is open to Wyoming photographers. Those with current or former military experience are encouraged to apply. 

“Wyoming Veterans in Focus: Oral History and Photo Exhibit Project” (working title) is a partnership project between Wyoming Veterans Affairs (VA), Wyoming State Parks, Wyoming State Archives, and the Wyoming Arts Council. The goal of this project is to showcase the myriad backgrounds, stories, and inspiration behind Wyoming soldiers’ service.

Project Partners

Wyoming State Parks is coordinating the project logistics, providing exhibition space, and overseeing the exhibition installation and interpretation. 

The Wyoming VA is providing project support and assisting with setting up community sessions around the state to conduct oral histories and photo shoots. They help recruit participants in each location.

Wyoming State Archives staff is overseeing the oral histories, including training veterans to conduct oral histories, editing, and preserving the information collected.

The Wyoming Arts Council is administering this RFQ and will work directly with the selected photographer on project details, including scheduling and travel, technical requirements, and printing and delivery of the portraits. 

RFQ

This call is open only to Wyoming photographers. Those with current or former military experience are encouraged to apply. Work samples submitted should demonstrate ability and experience with portraiture. The produced body of work should be cohesive while allowing participants to express themselves authentically.

The selected artist will be required to provide their own transportation and make their own travel accommodations for each photo shoot. The photographer is responsible for providing the equipment and set up for each shoot, including backdrops, lighting, or other equipment. Project Partners will provide information and help coordinate the logistics for each photo shoot. 

Timeline

5-8 community photo shoots and oral history sessions around the state will be planned throughout the summer and fall of 2025. Project partners will work with the selected photographer, project participants, and oral historians to finalize locations, dates, and times. Photos will be printed and mounted to foam core prior to delivery but will be framed on site. Tentatively, the complete set of 36 portraits must be delivered to the Wyoming Territorial Prison by April 15, 2026.

• Applications must be submitted through CaFE (callforentry.org) by the deadline. Late, mailed, or emailed submissions will not be accepted.
• Artists may submit up to ten work samples, of which up to two may be detail images, if appropriate.
• Work must have been created within the past 5 years.
• Applicants are asked to submit an artist’s statement and to verify that they meet the eligibility requirements.

• Must be at least 18 years of age at time of application.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or have legal resident status (evidence of U.S. citizenship, resident status and state residency may be required).
• Must be a Wyoming resident, living in the state at least 10 months of the year.
• May not be affiliated with the Wyoming Arts Council either as a board member or staff member, including their families, whether full-time, part-time or contractual.
• May not be an employee of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources.