Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Memory as malleable construct in Fear No Film screenings

For the 15th annual Fear No Film portion of the Utah Arts Festival, curator Topher Horman has crafted seven sequences of presentations in the most intriguing interpretations of the various ways in which memories are constructed, sustained, reshaped and anticipated. Each program is described below. ROLLING MEMORIES (June 22, 2 p.m.; June 24, 6 p.m.) … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Utah Short Film of The Year competition sets new bar in nominee quality

The Utah Short Film of the Year competition at the Utah Arts Festival has become more rigorous in recent years, as local filmmakers are making more adventurous films that especially show audiences outside of the state the high quality of independent film creativity. Four of this year’s seven entries already have established a national, if … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: 15th annual Fear No Film presents Memory theme as it cements its distinction as international cinematic festival

The first book in Homer’s The Iliad, written more than 2,800 years ago, opens with, ‘Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans.’ With that line, Homer created the Western literary tradition. The Iliad also was the first work signifying the value and instruction of memory … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Grand preview of the 41st annual festival’s temporary city of cosmopolitan arts and culture

The temporary miniature city of cosmopolitan art and culture that defines the Utah Arts Festival will open Thursday, June 22, with new stories and perspectives from artists of all stripes. The 41st annual festival will bring new faces and ideas from all venues. In the artist marketplace, 174 artists, including nine returning award winners, were … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Three SLC pillars of dance highlight Utah’s excellence in performing arts

In a quick glance, one realizes just how prominent dance is at the Utah Arts Festival and how it encapsulates the deep roots of Utah’s incredible dance culture. Salt Lake City is home to one of the most active dance performing arts spectra, even accounting for the city’s size. In addition to Samba Fogo, Salt … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2017: Art and Technology venue a bustling shop of make-and-take projects

Last year, the Utah Arts Festival’s Art and Technology venue was a powerhouse of low-cost make-and-take projects that were simple enough even for children as young as five years. With encouragement from Make Salt Lake volunteers, kids made and took home more than 8,000 pieces including Brush Bots, light sabers, cyanotype prints and customized art … Read more

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