Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Intermountain Acoustic Music Association marks 4th year in festival partnership with songwriter academy, Susanne Millsaps songwriter competition finals

In its fourth year, the partnership between the Intermountain Acoustic Music Association (IAMA) and the Utah Arts Festival has blossomed and raised the profile of folk, bluegrass, Irish, Celtic and acoustic musicians not only at the festival but also the organization’s nationally juried songwriting competition. In addition, IAMA offers a songwriter’s academy open to musicians … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Elevating graffiti art, celebrating community engagement at Urban Arts venue

The order for 100 plywood panels is already being filled at Lowe’s in Salt Lake City but Mason Fetzer has yet to settle on what the image will be for this year’s 100 Artists / 1 image community mural project, a signature event in the Urban Arts venue at the Utah Arts Festival. Shortly after … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Stacy Garrop’s Postcards From Wyoming will premiere as winning chamber music commission

Growing up first in Walnut Creek and then in Danville, California, Stacy Garrop played piano but her real music strengths were as an alto singer in choir and saxophonist in her high school marching band. At one point, her love of poetry inspired her to try her hand at writing her own verses but that … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Traveling exhibition of some of Utah’s finest works by high school artists signals new generation of creative professionals

For Rebekah Campbell, a Provo High School student, her art work titled Transend, done in acrylic on paper, signified her decision at the end of her sophomore year to pursue art in college and as a career. Although she said it was a difficult decision to make, Campbell wanted to convey the contentment she experienced … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Largest Artist Marketplace in festival history features fresh takes in aesthetics, media, techniques

This year’s Artist Marketplace at the Utah Arts Festival represents a continuing evolution in how artists are using media in original ways to leverage the strongest possible forms of expression in their aesthetics and technique. There are examples of repurposed materials for 3-D media art works including model airplanes made out of beverage cans, new … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: City Library solidifies its place as strategically important venue

A venue that would be the envy of any arts festival organizer in the country, the City Library in downtown library has a dominant presence with the 2016-2017 Traveling Exhibition of the Utah All State High School Art Competition in the fourth-floor gallery, numerous visual arts and musicians’ workshops, performances of operatic arias, a collaborative … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: New stories, voices, creative tools unite artistic community for 41st annual festival

Every year’s Utah Arts Festival brings new stories. For the 41st annual festival, visitors will see Florida’s Bill Wharton The Sauce Boss prepare enough gumbo to feed the crowd while he sings in his distinct style of Florida-inspired funk and blues. The Pedrito Martinez Group consistently impresses crowds, including the recent Spoleto Festival, with its … Read more

Overcoming the echo chamber emerges front and center in Plan-B Theatre’s (in)divisible

Being a conservative in the arts has also been great for me because those in the arts give me a full environment to hear other perspectives. Being close to those with different viewpoints has opened my mind and sometimes changed it (and sometimes reinforced it), but either way it’s been an expanding experience. I sometimes … Read more

Ballet West’s inaugural National Choreographic Festival

Ballet West will embark on a new annual tradition this weekend with the start of the National Choreographic Festival—running two weekends at the Eccles Theater. The National Choreographic Festival marks Ballet West’s first performances in the new 2,500-seat venue as well as a larger presence in the professional dance community nationally. “I have decided to … Read more

Leaps of faith highlight Plan-B Theatre’s forthcoming 27th season

NOTE: This is Part Two of a series about Plan-B Theatre, which offers a glimpse of the four new productions for the 27th season. For Part One, see here. “We want a beginning of the story. And we go as far ahead in the future as we can. We want an end to the story. … Read more