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Arts & Culture

The quality of life in Utah is due in large part to the people of the state who are enthusiastic supporters of the arts. Salt Lake is a haven for creative expression. On any given day there are numerous performances, exhibits, and events to choose from for enrichment and entertainment. The Utah Arts Council, the country's oldest state arts agency, represents more than 400 nonprofit organizations for performing, visual, and literary arts in the state.

Visual Arts
Performing Arts
Literary Arts
Festivals
The Film Industry
Attractions

Visual Arts
Ever since the Anasazi and Fremont Indians inscribed their history on rock walls in southern Utah, the state has offered a place where the work of visual artists can flourish. Salt Lake City is home to the Intermountain West's largest collection of world art, which is found at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts on the University of Utah campus. In addition, there are more than 25 art galleries and museums throughout the valley that showcase an eclectic array of early and contemporary work by local, regional, and international artists. 

Performing Arts
Within one year of arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, the Utah pioneers constructed a social hall where dances, concerts, and plays provided entertainment for the community. Today the tradition continues with the 2,800-seat Abravanel Hall/Art Center Complex and the elegant 1,943-seat Capitol Theatre, which are spectacular venues for showcasing Utah's performing arts.

The world-class Utah Symphony orchestra has focused the eyes of the world on Utah. The Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation, headquartered in Salt Lake, hosts one of the most prestigious piano competitions in the country. The world-famous Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs in the Tabernacle on Temple Square each week. (The public is invited to attend rehearsal performances on Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 9:30 a.m., during their global network broadcast.) 

The art of dance is alive and well in many forms in Salt Lake. Ballet West is one of the six largest ballet companies in the country and attracts professional dancers from around the world. 

The Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company and The Repertory Dance Theatre (RDT) are premiere modern dance companies based in Salt Lake City. The two companies present works of distinguished modern dance choreographers, as well as original works by their artistic directors and dancers. Both companies take their work on the road to perform and conduct workshops and classes in schools and local communities. 

The Children's Dance Theatre, the second oldest performing arts organization in Utah, is designed for young dancers. It is housed at the Virginia Tanner Creative Dance Studio on the University of Utah campus. 

The Utah Opera Company enhances the area's cultural mix. Since 1978, Utah Opera has stirred the emotions of a growing audience, performing annually for more than 130,000 people in Utah and in neighboring states. 

Of note is the new Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center that includes a 500-seat theater, orchestra pit, and rehearsal studio. In addition, the Theater League of Utah brings Broadway shows to the Salt Lake area.

Just north of St. George, the Tuacahn outdoor amphitheatre is the permanent home to the original outdoor musical "Utah", and host to this year's Summer 2002 Broadway in the Desert performance of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." Theater productions at the Pioneer Theatre Company and plays by numerous other local acting groups complete the mixture of performing arts. 

Literary Arts
Utah writers, whose stories celebrate the landscape and lore of the American West, are receiving national acclaim for their work. Readers often gather at Salt Lake bookstores and coffeehouses to hear the works of local and regional authors. 

There are also noteworthy writers' conferences scheduled in the cool mountains of the north and the desert landscape of the south. One conference that has gained a national reputation among writers is the Writers at Work Conference at Westminster College. This conference is known for its workshops in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction writing, as well as seminars, panel discussions, and manuscript consultations. 

Festivals
Unique festivals and celebrations take place in Utah throughout the year.

· Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival is staged each January in Park City. The festival is America's premiere showcase for the best independently-produced documentary and dramatic films. Screenings take place in Park City and around Salt Lake City.

· The 26th annual Utah Arts Festival, held in downtown Salt Lake City in late June, celebrates the visual and performing arts, crafts, demonstrations, and children's art projects. 

· Salt Lake's multi-cultural community produces events like the popular Greek Festival, the Japanese Obon Festival, Snowbird's Oktoberfest, and more. 

· Living Traditions: A Celebration of Salt Lake´s Folk & Ethnic Arts takes place on the weekend before Memorial Day each May. This free three-day event is held on the grounds of the City & County Building in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.

· The Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City is recognized as one of the finest in the country. In 2001, the festival completed its 40th season. The festival runs from July through September in an authentic Shakespearean theatre and was the recipient of the 2000 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. 

· The Festival of the American West relives the cultural history of the American West. The festival takes place at the American West Heritage Center in Wellsville in late July/early August.

· The 33rd annual Park City Art Festival, held the first weekend in August, is a two-day visual arts exhibition staged on the streets of the historic mining town. About 200 artists from throughout the West exhibit their work for more than 100,000 attendees.

The Film Industry
Utah is a popular location for the production of feature films, TV productions, and commercials. Commercial facilities for state-of-the-art film, video, and postproduction make Utah a burgeoning creative center for national and international projects. In fiscal year 2000-2001, Utah attracted 21 feature films/independent/cable features, 2 complete network series, 10 made for television movies or portions of other network series and 153 commercials, print ads, documentaries or videos. The economic impact resulting from film and television production in the 2000-2001 fiscal year exceeded $117,000,000 as compared to $116, 601,000 in the previous year. Though the USA Network canceled the television series Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family, the award winning series, Touched by an Angel is back for it's eighth season of on location filming in Utah.

Attractions
Salt Lake sites located close-by include historic Temple Square, the Utah State Capitol, the Great Salt Lake, Kennecott Bingham Copper Mine, Tracy Aviary, Hogle Zoo, Clark Planetarium, the Chase Home Museum of Utah Folk Arts, the Children's Museum of Utah, Lagoon Amusement Park, Red Butte Garden, Thanksgiving Point, and This is the Place Heritage Park. In addition, Trolley Square and Gardner Village offer unique shopping experiences. The Living Planet Aquarium, a 90,000 square foot public aquarium is slated to open in 2007.  
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For many years, Salt Lake and Utah have been called the "best of the west." This is a description that continues to ring true for the area's arts and culture community.