Opportunities To Support The Arts In Salt Lake City
The COVID-19 pandemic is hard for everyone in so many different ways, but it has been extremely hard on the art world. As the return to normal proceeds, they need all the support they can get.
From visual art galleries and museums, to music and theater and everything in between, as in-person events resume, it is time for the community to step up and support the arts in any way possible. The best part about supporting art and culture is the incredible experiences one gains from doing so.
Whether you prefer a stroll through a museum, theater or opera, there will be something to satisfy your creative hunger on this list of ideas.
Utah Museum Of Fine Arts
On-campus at the University of Utah, you will find UMoFA (Utah Museum of Fine Arts), Salt Lake’s largest display of art that features rotating exhibits throughout the year. The exhibits and collections are expansive featuring international and local art. Some ongoing features include Japanese Art, Modern Art, Regional and American Art, European Art and many more.
UMFA has a few temporary exhibits running through the end of the year. Confluence is a hyper-local feature that explores the water in the Salt Lake Valley, where it comes from, where it goes and how essential it is for everyone. Space Maker is an exploration of “the tensions, histories, and myths that shape our experiences of the world.” Both of these exhibits run until the beginning of December 2021.
If you aren’t quite ready to venture out yet, UMFA puts on fun virtual events including dance performances, lunchtime learning series and art & mindfulness workshops. But rest assured, the museum is limiting the number of guests allowed in at a time to keep everyone safe, so make sure to reserve your tickets online.
Utah Symphony Utah Opera
The Utah Symphony Utah Opera is once again doing in-person performances, but with a vaccination or negative COVID-19 test requirement. USUO is back with a boom featuring world-renowned musicians and shows to fit anyone’s liking. They are doing shows at Abrevenal Hall and Capitol Theater in Salt Lake City.
If you want to get your children exposed to the symphony early, USUO has a series of performances where they play the scores of famous movies while the movie plays on the projector. They do a wide variety of movies like the Harry Potter and Star Wars series’ -- and definitely check out their holiday offerings, as well.
Capitol Theatre
The home to all of the arts in Utah is the historical and famous Capitol Theatre. Just take a look at the outside of the theater on 200 South in Downtown Salt Lake City and your heart will fill with nostalgic emotion.
You can find everything from dance to concerts and films. Ballet West, a Utah staple, performs at Capitol Theatre. They put on fun, seasonal shows like Dracula in October and The Nutcracker in December. After missing all of last season, now is the perfect time to see a Ballet West performance.
Pioneer Theater Company
If musical theater is your thing, you need to catch a show at Pioneer Theater Company this season. Pioneer Theater is on campus at the University of Utah. The best thing about Pioneer Theater Company is the variety in their schedule. No matter your taste, something on their lineup will delight you.
This season features classics like Elf: The Musical and Hello Dolly and some newer shows like The Messenger and the much-anticipated Ass, described with this simple sentence, “Is genius a good enough excuse for bad behavior?”
You can buy tickets to the full 2021-2022 online.
Eccles Theater
Some of the most sought-after tickets in town are events at the Eccles Theater. It’s so new, it’s possible you haven’t been to show at the Eccles yet, but you NEED to. It is a gorgeous venue with an all-star lineup of comedians, musicians, and traveling Broadway shows.
Their upcoming line-up features Hasan Minhaj and Tom Segura on the comedy front before moving into their Holiday season, featuring Cirque’s Holiday Spectacular and Kurt Bestor. Other notable events include Neil Degrasse Tyson and Riverdance.
The Eccles Theater is requiring a COVID-19 vaccination or negative test verification to attend any events.
Urban Arts Gallery
The Urban Arts Gallery is one of the newest features of Salt Lake’s Gateway Plaza featuring work from local artists you wouldn’t see in a typical art gallery. For example, this month they are showcasing art on skateboard decks. The Skate Deck Challenge is a competition for artists; if you go into the gallery, you can even vote for your favorite.
Urban Arts Gallery features sculpture, painting, photography, glassblowing, and so many other types of art. You can check them out on Instagram.
If you plan to stroll through the gallery, you will need to wear a mask throughout the space.
The last year has been tough, especially for artists. Do everyone a favor and pick up a ticket to something artistic or creative, and treat yourself to a gallery, concert or performance.
And if the time isn’t right for you to step out yet, supporting local non-profits like the Salt Lake City Arts Council and Salt Lake County Arts and Culture through monetary donations or offering remote volunteering are great ways to keep our arts community thriving as we navigate our ever-changing times.