We have a brilliant arts council in Salt Lake City. Not only do they work hard every day to lift up and promote the arts and culture scene, but they are constantly pursuing grant opportunities and corporate sponsorships to support it. With that hard work, they have some exciting news to share!
The Salt Lake Arts Council Foundation has been approved for a $20,000 Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support the 2020 Living Traditions Festival.
And it’s kind of a big deal, because not only does Salt Lake City recognize Living Traditions as an essential way to preserve our diverse community, but it has also earned national recognition. The NEA grant is awarded only to those who “meet the highest standards of excellence; learning in the arts at all stages of life; and the integration of the arts in the fabric of community life.” Overall, the National Endowment for the Arts has approved 1,187 grants totaling $27.3 million in the first round of fiscal year 2020 funding to support arts projects in every state in the nation, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
“The arts are at the heart of our communities, connecting people through shared experiences and artistic expression,” said Arts Endowment chairman Mary Anne Carter. “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support projects the Living Traditions Festival.”
You Can Help, Too
Living Traditions artists make a great contribution to our sense of place and help demonstrate Salt Lake City as a diverse and vibrant place to live. As a business leader, consider volunteer and sponsorship opportunities. If your organization is interested in having a booth at the 2020 Living Traditions Festival, please contact the Salt Lake City Arts Council or follow us on social media channels for future announcements.
Arts Council Executive Director, Felicia Baca, says the Festival is important because, “the program fosters the preservation and inclusion of Utah’s diverse landscape along with the artistic traditions that reflect varied cultural perspectives. We do this by presenting folk & traditional art-—art that reflects both the unique qualities of various communities and the similarities of human experience. The festival fosters community conversations around social justice and equity and helps us to celebrate the richness of our cultural diversity and build civic pride as a whole.”
More About Living Traditions
Now in its 33rd year, the 2020 Living Traditions Festival is a three-day festival, free to the public, that engages and presents over 80 cultures through stage performances, panel discussions, craft booths where artists demonstrate their respective art forms, hands-on arts activities for youth, school field trips, a food market where nonprofit groups prepare and sell their traditional cuisines, and hands-on workshops where festival attendees learn traditional art forms from artists.
The festival will be presented on May 15, 16, and 17, 2020 in downtown Salt Lake City at Library Square.
With over 90 cultures represented, we hope that everyone will gain pride and identity for the community as a whole – both at the annual festival and throughout the year. The Arts Council is making great strides in continuing that public outreach with “Mondays in the Park” at Liberty Park in July and August, and the Fall Garden Party at International Peace Gardens inside Jordan Park in September.
We couldn’t be more proud or grateful for Salt Lake City Art Council’s dedication. Congratulations! For more information on projects included in the Arts Endowment grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.
Salt Lake City Department of Economic Development 