The Utah Arts Festival celebrates 3 decades

Thirty years ago, the nation was celebrating the United State's bicentennial, and one of the slogans was, "Have a Nice Day." To capitalize on that sentiment, the government gave select cities around the country a $50,000 City Spirit Grant. Salt Lake City was one.

Then Mayor Ted Wilson had an idea. He took $38,000 of that grant money and created the Salt Lake Council for the Arts. The council then conceived the Utah Arts Festival.

In 1977, the arts festival was set up on Main Street between South Temple and 200 South. And admission was free.

Since then the UAF has been set up at the Triad Center and the Utah State Fairpark, and for the past three years the festival has been held at Library Square.

"It's a great place to have the festival," festival executive director Robyn Nelson told the Deseret Morning News. "We are so happy we have the opportunity to have it there again. There is so much usable space."

Nelson, who became executive director in 1993, said the festival mission hasn't changed in 30 years. "We bring art to people who may not otherwise have a chance to see or hear it. When we plan it out, we try to make sure that there is something for everyone. We make it affordable, and throughout the years, it's become a family attraction. But there are still some edgy things that appeal to serious art lovers, and there are things that appeal to the casual art lovers."

Nelson said the festival's reputation has stretched into other states. "I ran into a lady I knew a couple of weeks ago, and she said that her friends from Arizona are ready for this year's festival. You never know whom you will touch with art."

People shouldn't be afraid of art, Nelson said. "We've been getting the message out for 30 years that art is a reflection of our experiences. Whether the art reflects life, death, relationships, society, the world. Art is something that everyone can relate to."

This year, to celebrate three decades, the festival will include live music by Kelly Hunt, Ten Mile Tide, Mike Miller Band, Sons of Nothing (a Pink Floyd Tribute Band), and an afternoon of finger-style guitar, featuring Larry Pattis, Michael Young, Keith Taylor and Gabriel Edgar.

The visual-arts galleries will include self-portraits by local artists Marcee Blackerby, Paul Heath, John Erickson, Anthony Siciliano, Susan Beck and Lenka Konopasek, just to name a few.