Artist Jesse Meredith is curious; mostly, it seems, about why things are the way they are. His interest in people’s lived spaces led him to make Overton Windows, a photography-sculpture series examining how control and whiteness influence how many Americans live. THE BLOCKS recently sat down with Meredith to discuss his evolution as an artist, why he joined a militia along the way in making Overton Windows and what he plans to do next. Overton Windows is on exhibition at UMOCA now through February 4, 2023.

What has been your path as an artist and how did it bring you to Utah?
I began my BFA by studying sculpture, but then ended it in photography. After college, I lived in my hometown, New York City, and for a while in Arizona. I then moved back to New York where I set about establishing myself as a photographer. After a few years, however, I began to feel that the work I was creating wasn’t enough. I was making all these clever sculptural photos, but I didn’t know what they were about. I wanted to better understand the connection between thinking and making. So, I enrolled in graduate school at the Art Institute of Chicago. I lived there for a couple of years after getting my MFA and then came to Salt Lake City for a residency at UMOCA.

You joined a militia while you lived in Chicago, an experience you used to create an exhibit that premiered at Salt Lake City’s Finch Lane Gallery last spring called So That We May Fear Not. What was your time with the militia like?
Before I moved to Chicago, I had developed an interest in how authority works. I continued my research into military tactics after I moved to Illinois via the Internet, which triggered an active recruitment by local right-leaning militia groups. I wanted to understand how these groups work and so I found a local militia willing to let me hang out with them, take photos and ask questions. They accepted me at face value, and we became friends. We would meet every other Sunday in rural areas surrounding Chicago to do things like practice navigation skills or learn first aid. I really enjoyed those outings. We’d be all kitted up but, because of Illinois law, didn’t have guns—though guns certainly play a major role in the overall context of militias. I love being outdoors and found a boyish glee in running around the woods with them every other Sunday.

How long were you involved in the militia and what perception did you come away with?

I spent five years attending the militia gatherings, from 2016 until I moved to SLC for the UMOCA residency. I learned that there was a big disparity between the militia ideology perpetuated by media outlets like Fox News and what the members believed. Not everyone was on the same page about political issues. The commonality I did find was that the entire militia movement is based in white identity and the defense of territory. Many of the militia members were older and had grown up in a time when popular culture was rife with misogyny and war was romanticized. Fast forward 30 years and those things these men were promised when they were young has not been delivered. The ground is essentially disappearing beneath them, and they have no tools to adapt. The militia provides them with a safe space to discuss things that in a more mixed social setting would be problematic for them. It took me awhile to figure out what the militia project would be. I began working on Overton Windows at the same time and actually thought the two studies would become one big project. Part of the reason I applied to the residency at UMOCA was to have the space to bring both of those projects to a resting point.

How did Overton Windows ultimately become a singular piece?
The traditional definition of an ‘Overton Window’ is how what’s acceptable and what’s not shifts over time or with circumstances. Trump, for example, shifted the Overton Window; COVID did, too. The greater Chicago area is mostly suburban, and it made me start thinking about how space is delineated, broken down and policed by both visible and invisible forces—like why militias are formed, to defend against threats that are perceived to be real. And so, I began examining houses both within the metro area of Chicago and the suburbs and found the latter to be much more defensive, closed off and, to me, illustrative of the ambient defensive culture in the United States In addition to suburban architecture, Overton Windows includes Western, pioneer-era imagery.

What is the connection between those two for you?
After I came to Salt Lake City, Overton’s perspective broadened to include the pioneer ideal of manifest destiny. I visited several museums and other historic buildings in Salt Lake to explore Utah’s pioneer-era history. The art I found was so revealing, especially if you’re looking for it. It’s all about the idea of owning and defending property and whiteness. It’s very emblematic of American entitlement.

Your residency at UMOCA ended in November. What do you plan to do next?
I want to continue the conversation I began with Overton Windows and So That We May Not Fear elsewhere in the West. I plan to spend a couple of months in Los Angeles later this winter. After that, we’ll see.

The rain may be keeping us all from getting out as much the past few weeks, but there are a few new places downtown worth the trek! Along with the inevitable summer sunshine, watch for even more retail businesses coming our way very soon.

Recently Opened

Crumbl | 45 West South Temple (At City Creek Center)
Amidst a statewide cookie craze, Crumbl has emerged as one of the crowd favorites. The bakery’s rapid expansion has finally reached downtown with a new store open inside the renovated Deseret Book at City Creek Center. It’s a convenient stop if you’re in need of a cookie fix during your workday, or you can order delivery online.

Seabird | 7 South Rio Grande Street (At The Gateway)
We’ve been looking forward to the opening of this new vinyl lounge at The Gateway. It is one of several developments being planned as part of the reimagined center focused on nightlife and entertainment. The cozy little spot located just above the Olympic Legacy Plaza is a great option to grab some post-work drinks.

Utah Sports Hall of Fame Museum | 99 West South Temple (At City Creek Center)
After more than 50 years, the Utah Sports Hall of Fame Foundation finally has a permanent home. The museum is a celebration of Utah sports history, with interactive features recognizing the many great athletes in our state. You can find the museum in a hidden corner on the ground level of the 99 West condos, just north of Nordstrom. It is free to visitors, so bring the whole family to check it out!

Opening Soon

Curry Up Now | 152 East 200 South
This Bay Area chain will be the second location in Utah. While the menu features Indian classics like samosas, naan, and masala, the addition of burritos and fried ravioli demonstrates a true fusion concept. Seeing as it is will be taking over the space currently occupied by Cedars of Lebanon -- which will be closing in just a few weeks as the owners retire -- we can only hope the fast-growing franchise will satisfy the demand for international cuisine in SLC.

Grow Kratom | 219 East Broadway
For the many of us unfamiliar with kratom, it is an herbal supplement from Southeast Asia quickly gaining popularity in the US. Believed to act as a pain reliever and energy booster, you can find it as a tea, capsule, or other forms. 

Wiseguys Lounge | At The Gateway
We don’t know much about this one yet, but Wiseguys is set to open a restaurant this summer adjacent to its comedy club at The Gateway. This will be an awesome space to host some of the comedians coming into town and to enjoy the Wiseguys experience even when you don’t have tickets to a show. The official name and menu are still being determined, but keep an eye out for an opening this summer!

Do you know of a new business I missed? Got a tip of one getting ready to open? Let me know at !

On a sun-dappled July day in 2018, Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski, staff from the Salt Lake City Downtown Alliance and officials from Salt Lake County’s Center for the Arts gathered on Exchange Place Plaza to announce a new partnership. Dubbed THE BLOCKS in reference to our capital city’s famously large city blocks, this collaboration, they explained, was created to showcase downtown Salt Lake City’s broad range of artistic, cultural and entertainment programming. “With its wide variety of venues, audiences and non-stop creative energy, THE BLOCKS offers a quality and consistent experience you cannot get anywhere else in Utah,” Biskupski said.

THE BLOCKS spans downtown Salt Lake City’s urban core, running from the west side of 600 West to the east side of 400 East, and the north side of North Temple to the south side of 400 South. A smidgen of the offerings and events located within this conveniently compact area include the El Mac & Retna Ave Maria mural (160 E. 200 South) and Jann Haworth’s SLC Pepper mural (250 S. 400 West), the monthly Third Friday Gallery Stroll, the Utah Arts Festival, Abravanel Hall, the Eccles Theatre, the Twilight Concert Series, the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, the Craft Lake City DIY Festival, Pride Weekend, the Living Traditions Festival and variety of events celebrating local Greek, the Pacific Island, Italian, Japanese and Hispanic communities. “With experiences ranging from intimate to arena, traditional to contemporary, world-renowned to backyard, structured to spontaneous, highly-refined to cutting-loose, THE BLOCKS is Salt Lake’s Cultural Core,” says Tyler Bloomquist, Downtown Alliance artistic director of the Cultural Core.

One of the exciting initiatives as part of THE BLOCKS is a mural inside the underpass at 200 West. Earlier this year, THE BLOCKS partnered with the Salt Palace Convention Center to create a community mural in this previously underutilized space. Six local artists—Traci O’Very Covey, Chuck Landvatter, Matt Monsoon, Evan Jed Mammott, Alexis Rose and Jimmi Toro—created 150-foot-wide, paint-by-numbers style mural along the wall of the underpass, which the public was then invited to help fill in during a celebration held in August.
“As Salt Lake City is embracing our new growth and outside interest, we have seen an infrastructural shift to answer the demand for an engaging and inviting urban lifestyle,” Bloomquist says. “With more people living, working, commuting into, and experiencing downtown, now is the ideal time to reimagine our public spaces, forge new collaborations focused on creative problem solving, galvanize our street life, and celebrate our diversity. Now is the time to create the downtown we have always wanted.

How will this happen? By supporting and championing our creative community.” And while the quality of life benefits downtown Salt Lake’s artistic community provides are likely immeasurable, the economic impacts of our city’s arts offerings are very much quantifiable and play a key role in our state’s financial well-being. According to a study by Americans for the Arts, 7.4 million people attended arts and culture events in Utah in 2015, spending more than $194 million in the process. Furthermore, spending by Utah arts and cultural organizations and their audiences support more than 10,000 jobs.

“In THE BLOCKS we have great dining, amazing theaters, and interesting visual arts and we want the entire surrounding regional community to know about and experience all this district has to offer,” says Sarah Pearce, division director of Salt Lake County’s Center for the Arts. “This joint effort by Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City is a testament that investing in the arts makes huge impacts both directly and indirectly to the economic vitality of a community. Visual arts can stimulate a lonely alley or abandoned building and performing arts, film and music events attract audiences that spend money not only on tickets but also at surrounding retail, restaurants and bars. And, a community with a vibrant arts scene attracts new visitors, new residents and new businesses.”

So, whether you’re looking for a new gallery, a poetry reading, a play by a celebrated local writer, a performance of a Bach masterpiece, an edgy piece of street art, the nation’s biggest LGBTQ festival, engaging architecture, whetting your pallet with a new cocktail or coffee, creating alongside your kids at a contemporary art museum or simply stumbling across a ballet versus breakdance battle, THE BLOCKS has you covered.

The holidays are in full swing here in downtown SLC. From shopping and holiday sightseeing to dining and drinking at our top-notch restaurants and bars, there is no shortage of holiday cheer for all your friends and family! To keep every face merry and bright, we're here to offer a few tips on How to Holiday downtown this season.

Getting Around Downtown

With so much to do downtown, it may seem nearly impossible to see everything on your list (and stay warm while doing it). But never fear – Jingle Bus is here! Jingle Bus is a free, holiday-themed ride circulating between The Gateway, Temple Square, City Creek Center, Gallivan Plaza and Capitol Theatre. Downtown visitors and shoppers will find this free service especially useful for getting to-and-from downtown’s two malls, as well as enjoying the abundant holiday lights and storefront decorations.

Jingle Bus runs from 5 PM–10 PM, 7 days a week (except for Christmas Day) free of charge, courtesy of the SLC Downtown Alliance, City Creek Center, The Gateway and other generous sponsors. Check out a map of Jingle Bus stops here.

Parking Downtown  

Did you know downtown has over 55,000 on- and off-street parking spots? That means there are plenty of places to park if you are driving to get to downtown. There are several parking garages throughout the city with the most notable being City Creek Center, The Gateway, and the Regent Street Garage. Remember, on-street parking is free after 8 pm!

City Creek (50 South Main): Just south of Temple Square, this is downtown’s largest and most central parking garage. Entrances to City Creek Center can be accessed from West Temple, South Temple, 100 South and State Street. Parking is free for the first two hours and is $2 for every hour after. If you happen to be dining at City Creek Center, there are a handful of restaurants that can validate. City Creek Center has over 5,000 parking spaces and real-time signs indicating available spots for quick and easy navigation.  

Regent Street Garage (55 East 200 South): Just south of City Creek Center, the Regent Street Garage is accessible via both Regent Street, between 100 and 200 South between State and Main Street, or  Orpheum Avenue from State Street. The cost of parking is $2 per hour.

The Gateway (400 West 100 South): Hosting a multitude of events this holiday season, you’ll want to be sure to check out The Gateway! Their garage can be accessed from 100 South, 400 West and 200 South. With the first hour free, the cost of parking is $2 per hour thereafter.

*Keep in mind, there are a number of other parking garages and lots available around downtown with varying prices. Most average about $2-4 per hour, and some require proof of payment to be placed face-up, on the dash of your car.

Transit

Want to avoid a parking headache all together? The Salt Lake Valley has a plethora of Park-n-Ride TRAX Stations to help you ditch your car this winter. Check out a map of Park-n-Ride Stations here. Consider hopping on the train with the whole family and taking a leisurely ride into downtown. Don’t forget, UTA has a Free-Fare Zone so you can use TRAX and buses within the downtown area free of charge. See a map of the Free-Fare Zone here. See other UTA Schedules here.

Traditions Downtown

Every year downtown fills with holiday shoppers, art lovers and adventure seekers alike. If you’re looking for that something extra to build upon your downtown holiday traditions, check out a few of our favorite things:

Lights, Candy Art, Murals and the Last Hurrah!
You may be among the throngs that enjoy the dazzling lights and charming creches at Temple Square. After taking in the dazzling light display, hop over to view an assortment of intricate, holiday-themed candy creations at City Creek Center. Local artists have created beautiful candy dioramas in the Macy’s windows on Main Street just below South Temple.

Need more visuals? Take a tour of our favorite downtown murals and street art. You can guide yourself through the city using an Interactive Map found at https://theblocksslc.com/map/ and find the following works:

SLC Pepper by Jann Haworth - 250 S. 400 W.
The many murals at The Gateway - 400 W. 100 S.
Salt Palace Subway by Traci O’Very Covey, Chuck Landvatter, Evan Jed Memmott, Matt Monsoon, Jimmi Toro and Alexis Rose - 40 S. 200 W.
Utah Jazz mural by Trent Call - 100 S. Main Street
Ave Maria by El Mac and Retna and various murals - 160 E. 200 S. (go down the alleyway!)
Murals at Ken Sanders Rare Books - 268 S. 200 E.

Skip the Times Square ball-drop this New Year’s Eve and head down to The Gateway for Last Hurrah! This popular local celebration features live music, cultural performances, food, drinks and more. Last Hurrah is the largest NYE celebration in Utah and is free and open to the public from 8 p.m. - midnight.

Holiday Treasure Hunting

Up your gift-giving game this year and get your friends and family something made by a local artist or craftsperson! Check out these galleries for beautiful and meaningful gifts: Modern West Fine Art, Hope Gallery, Southam Gallery, God Hates Robots, Urban Arts Gallery, Michael Berry Gallery, Art Access and Art At The Main.

Galleries aren’t the only places where you can purchase artwork. You will find retailers across downtown with works from local artists.

Want to give the gift of performance instead? Tickets to a performance from any of our celebrated resident companies are sure to be a hit! Upcoming 2019 performances include:

Repertory Dance Theatre - Emerge, Jan. 4-5 / Voices, Apr. 11-13
Ririe-Woodbury Dance Co. - The Live Creature and Ethereal Things, Feb. 1-2 / Bloom, Apr. 18-20
Pygmalion Productions - Wait, Feb. 21-Mar. 9 / Sweetheart Come, May 2-19
Plan-B Theatre - An Evening With Two Awful Men, Feb. 21-Mar. 3 / ...Of Color, Mar. 28-Apr. 7
Ballet West - Swan Lake, Feb. 8-23 / Choreographic Festival, May 9-11
Utah Opera - Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Mar. 9-17 / Bellini’s Norma, May 4-6
Utah Symphony - Brahms’ Violin Concerto, Feb. 22-23 / Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, May 4-6

When is the last time you acted like a tourist in your own city? It’s easy to get caught up in the monotony of day to day life, which can make you forget to explore where you live. Fortunately, you are not far from the perfect getaway - downtown Salt Lake! Now is the time to plan a downtown staycation for your friends or family and enjoy local attractions you may have overlooked, or taken for granted.

Girls Getaway

So you finally have a weekend free, and so do your friends...this calls for a girls getaway! Put your schedules on pause and grab that opportunity to head to Kimpton Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City (15 West 200 South) for a staycation full of R & R, delectable bites and memorable fun.

This upscale boutique hotel sits in the heart of downtown and showcases modern decor, blissful bedding, animal-print robes and the finest Atelier Bloem bath and body amenities. Once the squad arrives, take advantage of this much-needed downtime with the ladies to unpack, order room service, catch up on life and plan your weekend adventures. After reveling in the fact that you pulled this retreat off, explore the hotel’s offerings. The hotel’s health-conscious perks include a high-performance 24-hour fitness center, yoga mats and custom-designed PUBLIC bikes for you to borrow. Guests can arrange to have spa services, including massages and facials, brought directly to their rooms.

Housed in the hotel’s historic Continental Bank lobby, Bambara serves seasonally inspired New American cuisine (think pan-roasted and grilled meats plus skillfully prepared seafood and game) and historic architecture. Friends looking to quench their thirst can enjoy hosted nightly wine receptions in the lobby or grab a specialty drink from the award-winning bar menu at The Vault. When it’s time to hit the town, let Salt City Cycle Cab take your crew around on an unforgettable pedicab adventure through downtown’s dining and entertainment district. Share tapas at Martine (22 East 100 South), make a toast to good friends and delectable gastropub fare at Gracie’s (326 South West Temple) or spice it up with Latin American street food at Taqueria27 (149 East 200 South). Remember to save some room for locally-crafted goodies at Last Course (115 South Regent Street) ice cream and dessert studio.

Polish the evening off with live music at The Depot (400 West South Temple), a Ballet West or Utah Opera performance at Capitol Theater (50 West 200 South) or an exciting Utah Jazz game or concert at Vivint Smart Home Arena (301 South Temple).

A girls weekend is incomplete without an escape to the spa or a shopping spree. Round up the ladies for a day of pampering and relaxing at Sanctuary Day Spa (42 South Rio Grande Street). Hot stone massages, spa facials, mani/pedi combos and designer haircuts and styles are just a sampling of what this full-service spa and salon offers. Window shopping is taken to the next level at City Creek Center (50 South Main Street). This retail experience is one of a kind, showcasing over 100 diverse stores and restaurants, including Nordstrom, Macy's, Tiffany & Co., Michael Kors and lululemon, all in a casual, pedestrian-friendly environment. Shop ‘til you drop and then head back to the hotel and reminisce about your weekend escapades.

Couples Retreat

Need a break with your honey but can't travel far? An escape to Hilton Salt Lake City Center (255 South West Temple) gives couples the opportunity to leave reality behind and reconnect, all in the comfort of your own town.

Conveniently located in the center of downtown, the 18-floor Hilton Salt Lake City Center boasts 19 luxury suites featuring king-size beds, plush linens, posh European bathtubs, separate sitting areas and breathtaking views of the city and surrounding mountains. Couples can make the most of their staycation and maximize time away with an early check-in or late check-out. If leaving Fido at home gets you down, pets are invited to stay at the hotel. A relaxing soak in the hotel’s hot tub or a refreshing swim in the heated indoor pool are sure to kickoff your getaway. Kick back in a chaise lounge on the seasonal sundeck (open May - Sept.) and feel the tension fade. If a workout is on the agenda, the fully-equipped fitness center caters to any fitness needs. Don't miss an intimate dinner for two at Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops, the Best of State-awarded restaurant and winner of the 2017 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence. Located in the hotel, this Salt Lake City staple delivers contemporary and seasonal dishes, hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood, local produce and cheeses as well as classically inspired cocktails, local craft beers and an award-winning wine list that has kept locals coming back for two decades.

Feeling adventurous? Hilton Salt Lake City Center’s downtown location is within walking distance to a plethora of ethnic eateries. Finca (327 West 200 South) serves Spanish tapas and dishes, Valter's Osteria (173 West Broadway) offers a taste of Tuscany and Takashi (18 West Market Street) creates rolls to make any sushi-lover swoon. Dinner and a show go hand-in-hand and there is no better place to find that combo than downtown. Catch a Broadway production or concert at the new Eccles Theater (131 South Main Street) or treat yourselves to a Utah Symphony performance at Abravanel Hall (123 West South Temple). If you’re looking for a laugh, Wiseguys at the Gateway (194 South 400 West) comedy club has you covered.

Try something new and take a cooking class at Harmons Grocery (135 East 100 South) and learn how to make your own romantic dinner! Fresh and local produce and products sold at The Downtown Farmers Market (350 West 300 South) during the summer and fall months will inspire your next culinary masterpiece. A relaxing stroll through The Gateway’s (400 West 100 South) open-air retail and dining district promises the downtime that you both deserve.

Family Escape

Planning a family vacation is not for the faint of heart (think pitstops, juggling the circuit of movies and snacks and enduring the chorus of “are we there yets?” echoing from the back seats). While getting out of town can be daunting, a family staycation at Radisson Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown (215 West South Temple) can be the answer to many of the typical traveling woes.

Radisson Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown is the perfect homebase for your family’s next retreat. Spacious, contemporary rooms and suites, outfitted with comfy beds and unique headboards that feature artwork by prominent pop artists, allow your clan to spread out and feel right at home. Even your four-legged family member is welcome at this pet-friendly destination. After settling in, vacation mode begins when you hit the indoor heated swimming pool. The kids are certain to burn some energy while parents soak in the adjoining hot tub and unwind in the onsite sauna. If you want to get your sweat on, check out the fully-equipped fitness center. Playing stirs up an appetite and feeding the brood is simple with the hotel’s onsite family dining options. In-room dining brings the goodies to you, offering an extensive menu including several kid-friendly bites. The hotel’s Copper Canyon Grill House & Tavern serves casual American-style fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pre-dinner and late-night drinks flow at the tavern and the in-house coffee shop has fresh brews to get you going in the morning.

With so many amenities offered at this hotel, it’s hard to find a reason to leave. However, if you want to venture out, family-friendly eateries are just outside the door. Try Bruges Waffles & Frites (336 West Broadway) for both sweet and savory lovers, grab a bite at Rich's Burgers-N-Grub (30 East Broadway), savor a home-style meal with a slice of history at The Lion House Pantry (63 East South Temple) or simply head over to City Creek Center where over 20 dining options satisfy any palate or pocketbook.

Be a tourist in your own backyard with the Visit Salt Lake Connect Pass, an all-in-one ticket to 13 of Salt Lake’s best attractions. This passport includes admission to Clark Planetarium’s (209 East 500 South) 3D IMAX and Dome Theatre, Discovery Gateway’s (444 West 100 South) hands-on children’s museum and The Leonardo’s (209 East 500 South) science and art exhibits, just to name a few. Buy your pass at visitsaltlake.com. It’s possible to get back to nature, even in the city. Feast your eyes on the gardens at the 35-acre Temple Square, take a hike in nearby City Creek Canyon or explore the downtown scene on a GREENbike.

No matter the reason for your staycation, you may find that you've been living in a tourist's paradise all along!

“I don’t have any numbers to back this up, but I would bet that Salt Lake City has one of the highest numbers of museums per capita in the country,” speculated Clark Planetarium Education and Exhibits Manager Durand “Duke” Johnson as toddlers and tweens bobbed and weaved around him on a typically busy afternoon inside the planetarium’s gallery/lobby space. But as anyone who’s visited one knows, a museum is only as relevant as its exhibits.

Here we introduce you to the people who make relevancy happen at three of downtown Salt Lake City’s most enduring museums: the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum and the Clark Planetarium.

Jared Steffensen

“Like most recent MFA sculpture grads, the first job I took after earning my degree was in construction,” said Jared Steffensen, Curator of Exhibitions at the Utah Museum to Contemporary Art, jokingly. “In all seriousness, it actually felt really good to get back to a place where I was making functional things after being in school so long.”

As it turned out, the building skills he learned while remodeling bathrooms and kitchens came in handy when, in 2012, Steffensen joined the staff at UMOCA as curator of education. “My first big task was building the artist-in-residence program, which included everything from fleshing out what the program would be, to physically constructing the spaces [in the museum] where the resident artists work,” Steffensen said. The result is a program that not only provides resident artists with a rent-free space to create their work, but gives them opportunities for higher visibility both inside and outside the state through professional development workshops, special access to visiting artists and curators, and exhibition opportunities.

“When I finished my undergrad, the opportunities for working artists who made work like I did were so few and far between, I thought I’d probably leave Utah and never come back,” Steffensen said. “This residency is about creating a community for artists here and hopefully elevating the profile of that community nationally.”

Steffensen’s UMOCA job description shifted from education to curating exhibits last October, but the overarching mission of his work—making conceptual art part of the larger conversation—has remained virtually the same.

An exhibit on display at UMOCA now through January 6 that embodies that mission is “Cities of Conviction,” a collection of contemporary art by Saudi Arabian artists. Steffensen curated the exhibit to highlight work that delves into issues common to both Utah and Saudi Arabia, such as the struggle over natural resources, pilgrimage and the tension surrounding commercial development around cultural heritage sites.

Steffensen began developing the concept for “Cities of Conviction” at the suggestion of Dan Mills, director of the Bates College Museum of Art, and Stephen Stapleton, founder of Culturunners, an organization seeking out ideologies common to both the United States and the Middle East. At the same time, UMOCA is also hosting its first international artist-in-residence, Balqis Al Rashed, a conceptual artist and designer born in Riyadh, Saudi, and raised in Beirut for 16 years. While in residence, Rashed is working on “pieces that focus on the creation of meanings, practices, and dichotomies in respect to the collective, identity, and the self.” Her work is featured as part of “Cities of Conviction.”

“We feel this exhibit really hits the mark of making conceptual art part of a bigger conversation while creating a place for a largely misunderstood community to have a voice at the same time,” Steffensen said.

Travis Reid
     

Over at Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum, Senior Manager of Creative and Exhibits Travis Reid’s easy manner and deliberate speech are indicative of his north-Texas roots. “I was born and raised in Dallas where we like to say ya’ll quite a bit,” Reid said with a grin. After earning a BFA in sculpture and then an MBA in project management, Reid took a position in his home state with Billings Productions. There he designed, developed and delivered exhibits to museums throughout the country. “I got to come to Salt Lake City when I worked on a dinosaur exhibit for the Hogle Zoo and thought it was so beautiful here,” he said. And then in April 2017, when his current position opened at Discovery Gateway, Reid jumped at the chance to move to Utah. “I’ve always been attracted to the idea of learning through play, and so this job has felt like an ideal fit for me,” he said.

Part of Reid’s vision for Discovery Gateway is a focus on interaction and use of technology. “The smartphone was yet to come on the market when this museum opened [at the Gateway] 10 years ago. There’s been a boom in technology since then. The possibilities available now to create even better exhibits are endless,” he said. To address this goal, Reid is embarking on a thorough inventory of existing exhibits to help him formulate a long-view plan for improvements and new exhibits. “I want to find out what’s working and why, and focus our efforts on a kid’s perspective,” he said. The yardstick he’ll use to critique Discovery Gateway’s existing exhibits will, of course, include the gold standard for interactive museum exhibits: how appealing it is to multiple users, does it result in multiple outcomes, and can it be accessed from multiple sides, among other parameters. But Reid also plans to focus on the larger, thematic picture by analyzing how the museum’s different exhibits draw children through the entire space. “I believe that museums across the US now incorporate and recognize the benefits of using hands-on interactive exhibits, which was always a key design feature of children's museums." Reid said.

And while Reid looks forward to working with the museum’s staff to make Discovery Gateway’s exhibits even better (“Everyone here—from the graphic designer to our on-site carpenter to the development, and marketing departments—works really hard to bring every exhibit to life. It’s very much a team-oriented atmosphere,” Reid said.), several new experiences are already in the pipeline, with rollouts planned to coincide with the museum’s 40th anniversary in the fall of 2018. Those new exhibits include a refurbished and updated Water Play exhibit and a new climbing-based activity in the museum’s Garden gallery. “I’d love to create something that allows kids to experience that gallery using gross-motor and decision-making skills, ultimately being rewarded with seeing the museum from a unique viewpoint,” Reid said.

Durand "Duke" Johnson

Though the words fall short of capturing the blood, sweat and tears involved in the actual process, resourceful creativity is a good place to begin in describing how Clark Planetarium Education and Exhibits Manager Durand “Duke” Johnson headed up execution of the Clark Planetarium’s bevy of new exhibits, unveiled last October. There’s the weeklong journey to Trinidad, Colorado, that Johnson and Thanksgiving Point’s Cliff Miles embarked on to bring back what’s now the largest on-display specimen of the 4-million-year-old Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary (a thin band of rock dating to the extinction of the dinosaurs) in the world. Or there’s the hours of trial and error that went into creating the tornado exhibit, flanked by storm photos Johnson took himself. “All the staff went WAY above and beyond the call of duty to enable us to pull off the [museum’s] refresh project,” Johnson said.

Johnson, grew up as a “North Dakota farm kid,” taught high school math and was a planetarium director in North Carolina prior to relocating to Salt Lake City 14 years ago to manage exhibits at the Clark Planetarium. What fuels his enthusiasm to, say, hit the road for a week to dig up a piece of rock? “I get to pick one of three or four hats to put on every day,” he said. “And it’s all related to science and engineering, which, at the end of the day, is what we want to encourage others to do through these exhibits.”

In addition to the K-Pg rock and the tornado simulator, some of the new exhibits on display now as part of the planetarium’s $3.5 million refresh include a digital lunar lander simulator and the Defend the Earth video game where users protect our planet from an asteroid field—both of which were designed, built and perfected by planetarium staff members Jesse Warner, Chris Roberts, Cody Lavery and David Meinzer.

In fact, according to Johnson, the Clark Planetarium is among very few institutions of its kind to create and develop its own interactive digital exhibits, an expertise that Johnson hopes to offer to other museums to support the planetarium over the long term. “Last fall’s relaunch was more of a beginning of what’s to come rather than an end of something,” he said. “Anywhere you see an open space in the gallery is where something new will go. We plan to bring more effort to bear on this experience by offering more hands-on programming, partnerships with other local institutions, and more outreach.”  

Downtown is made more whimsical, interesting and unique through arts and culture. Our one-of-a-kind murals, installations and sculptures all add to downtown’s colorful presence.

We’re privileged to have a plethora of public art downtown—art free and accessible to everyone— supported by both private and public entities. Utah’s capital city has a long-standing tradition of financially supporting artists and the arts, in all forms, to add to the city’s diversity and vitality. Public art, along with architecture, landscape, and people, create a unique identity distinct to our place.  Recognizing the social and economic benefits realized through an aesthetic experience in public spaces, Salt Lake City’s Public Art Program’s purpose is to add high-quality, site-specific artists’ work to natural and built environments. In fact, the formalized tradition of allocating 1 percent of eligible City project funds for commissioning artists for services and site-specific artwork to be integrated into new construction projects stretches back to 1984, when the City adopted a percent-for-art ordinance.

“The City’s long standing dedication to hiring and promoting local artists using a solid public art selection process has encouraged many artists to stretch their abilities and styles to the three dimensional,” says Kristin Beck, the Downtown Alliance director of urban activation. “The accessibility of these public art pieces engages and exposes the public in ways they would not have experienced otherwise.”

In addition to funding through the Percent-for-Art ordinance, the program partners worked with the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City (RDA) to integrate public art in city-wide project areas. In 1990, the Board of Directors of the RDA approved and authorized a Percent-for-Art provision to be incorporated in development contracts executed by the RDA. In addition, many additional RDA public art projects are managed by the Salt Lake City Arts Council under the direction of the Salt Lake Art Design Board—a five-member mayoral appointed body. Since that time, the Arts Council has successfully partnered with the RDA on several projects in many districts with new opportunities arising on a regular basis.

One of the most recognizable and celebrated projects, The Flying Objects series, began in 2005 when downtown Salt Lake City was under considerable construction for City Creek Center, one of the nation’s largest mixed-use downtown redevelopment projects. The project was designed to stage a series of temporary, rotating sculptures, installed in three locations to add shape, color and interest to the streetscape through a curated series of sculptures in a range of styles and materials.

“The Flying Objects series has been cherished in our community and valued by our visitors,” says Beck. “It’s offered many local artists the opportunity to participate in a commissioned public art process and has garnered them an amazing amount of exposure.”

Since 2005, the Flying Objects project offered more than 45 established and emerging Utah artists an opportunity to participate in a temporary public art project and create one-of-a-kind sculptures. Each of the first four series was installed for a period of two to three years.

If there was ever a Flying Object you were particularly fond of—say the UFO, the “paper” plane, or the man on the trapeze—feel free to reach out to the Salt Lake City Arts Council because they could be yours! After each object’s temporary run above the street, they were returned to the artist to sell, repurpose or enjoy. Many have been given new homes in public and private spaces, but some are still available.

After the fourth round of Flying Objects was completed, it was determined that the fifth iteration of the series would be a final, permanent installation. And in April this year, 18 new sculptures were erected above the 300 South medians from 400 West to 300 East. The new series has already begun to weave itself into the cultural fabric of our community and will be an amusing and beloved chapter in downtown’s evolving story for years to come.

When we think of a “complete city,” urban planning experts point to five opportunities that should be among a region’s best within a downtown: live, work, shop, eat and play. The first four are fairly straightforward, but the “play” variable takes on a double meaning. Usually thought of in cultural sense—think art, music and theatre—the best cities also have expansive green spaces, such as parks. Salt Lake City covers all five (or six) of these amenities with ease. But, it’s our other play options that set us apart from any other city on the globe. Namely, City Creek Canyon.

City Creek Canyon is not often mentioned in the same breath as other canyons a short bus ride or drive from downtown: Little and Big Cottonwood for skiing, Millcreek for hiking, or Park City in Parley’s Canyon with additional recreation opportunities. However, this canyon should be local cannon, especially for downtown residents and employees. Setting City Creek apart from other canyons is its proximity to downtown, plus the variety of activities available: truly one of Salt Lake City’s crown jewels.

No matter your mode of transport or choice in recreation, City Creek is accessible on foot for a walk or run, on two wheels for a road cycle or singletrack mountain bike ride, aboard inline skates, on four paws, or even on skis after a fresh snowfall.

In the summer months, City Creek Canyon is open to cars on even numbered days and holidays, and cyclists on odd days. Beginning on State Street and Second Avenue, the first mile winds its way up and through Memory Grove Park, connecting to Bonneville Blvd in the upper Avenues. The six-plus mile road provides an immediate escape from summer heat under a shady canopy of trees.

At the road’s terminus, just past a water treatment plant, is a large picnic area, plus a plethora of hiking trails into the higher peaks forming the head of the canyon. Trail opportunities exist lower in the canyon as well, as the Bonneville Shoreline Trail intersects City Creek just a mile from the edge of the city.

Some popular ideas:

-Walk/jog/run through Memory Grove on the paved path, exploring several side paths through the forest adjacent to the creek. Dogs, as you may imagine, love the running water.

-Hike or bike up the paved path to an intersection with the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Heading north connects to Mueller Park in Bountiful and east heads toward the University of Utah and Hogle Zoo via Dry Creek. From nearly any vantage point along this stretch, 180 degrees of views include the Wasatch range, the downtown skyline and The Great Salt Lake.

-After a big storm, backcountry skiers can tour from several trailheads into the foothills for powder turns with a view of the State Capitol building!

Since 2014, the Flying Objects program has lined 300 South with different flying themed sculptures created by local artists. Now in its fifth and final iteration, the 18 new sculptures will remain as permanent public art. If you were a fan of specific pieces that have since been taken down, you can purchase them by contacting the Salt Lake Arts Council. Come downtown and see all 18 for yourself! View our gallery below: 

For six decades, Ballet West’s The Nutcracker has been a centerpiece of Salt Lake’s holiday festivities. Tchaikovsky’s moving score, it’s magical costumes and fairytale sets, are all showcased in the exquisite Capitol Theatre to create one of the most visually stunning productions of The Nutcracker in the world today. While many Utahns consider it a holiday tradition, they may not know how this institution became woven into the fabric of our city, how it helped to save ballet in America, or what extraordinary efforts are being taken to keep The Nutcracker relevant for another six decades.

Even if you have never journeyed to the Capitol Theatre and enjoyed The Nutcracker, almost everyone has been exposed to its music, story, and imagery. The ballet is ubiquitous with Christmas culture, from Fantasia to SpongeBob SquarePants, and Care Bears to Grand Theft Auto; there are literally thousands of references in pop culture to The Nutcracker, making it a timeless piece of art, like da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans.

It was Ballet West’s founder, Willam Christensen (affectionately known as Mr. C.) who first choreographed a full-length Nutcracker in America, making Ballet West’s production the longest-running in the Western Hemisphere and perhaps the world. The New York Time’s principal dance critic, Alistair MaCaulay, went on a nationwide Nutcracker tour in 2010 and called Ballet West’s version, “one of the best productions I’ve ever seen.”

Earlier this year, Ballet West announced that it has received a grant from the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation to enrich and enhance the physical production of The Nutcracker. (Just like the Mona Lisa, sometimes a great piece of art needs some refurbishing!) Work on the project is well underway, with diagrams being submitted and backdrops being painted at the Utah Opera studios. Over the next year and a half, literally hundreds of Utah artisans will be contracted to build sets, sew costumes, and incorporate special effects into the dazzling new production that will premiere in the winter of 2017.

“During his lifetime, Mr. C. frequently updated The Nutcracker to keep it fresh and alive, but he maintained the framework and charm of the story, that kept audiences coming back every year,” said Ballet West CEO & Artistic Director Adam Sklute. “Our intention with this generous gift from the Eccles Foundation is to keep the choreography exactly the same while updating the physical production.” Sklute recently announced some of the more whimsical embellishments will include elements that fly through the air and an enhanced Christmas tree that will grow much wider, giving it a 3-D effect. “Some of these spectacular effects Mr. C. originally imagined, but did not have the technology or funding to accomplish during his lifetime. This gift will help us honor his vision and move it into the future,” said Sklute. While Ballet West looks to the retirement of the current production’s sets and costumes, the story of how Utah carries the banner of owning the longest running Nutcracker in America is also a timeless story.

In 1816, E.T.A. Hoffman wrote The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. The story tells of a Christmas party at which little Clara, daughter of the house, receives the gift of a nutcracker from her mysterious uncle, Herr Drosselmeyer. After the party, she falls asleep and dreams of dancing snow, sugarplums, and her nutcracker, which has turned into a handsome prince. The story is filled with magic, wonder, and whimsy. In 1892, the story was used by Russian composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov to create the ballet The Nutcracker, which became one of Tchaikovsky’s most famous compositions, and perhaps the most popular ballet in the world.

Surprisingly, the ballet had never been performed in its entirety in the United States until Mr. C., then at the San Francisco Ballet, was looking for a ballet to fill the company’s coffers. It was 1944, and World War II had made money for arts very scarce. Looking for a ballet which would lighten the hearts of a dreary nation, Mr. C. spoke to the great dancer and choreographer, George Balanchine. Over the course of one night, Balanchine and his friend Alexandra Danilova, both of whom had danced The Nutcracker in Russia, recounted the steps and explained the story to Mr. C. He instantly recognized how this ballet could be marketed to both children and adults, and also how it could likely be financially lucrative.

After Mr. C. staged the production, one critic wrote, “We can’t understand why a vehicle of such fantastic beauty and originality could be produced in Europe in 1892 and never be produced in this country until 1944. Perhaps choreographers will make up for lost time from now on.” Not only had Mr. C. choreographed a smashing success, but he had also unknowingly created an American phenomenon, a fact that is said to have surprised and thrilled even Mr. C. Since then, The Nutcracker thrives across the Americas, and is an iconic holiday tradition and a mainstay of countless ballet companies across the country.
Nowhere is this more evident than at Ballet West. The Nutcracker is an audience favorite and continues to break records. Just last year, The Nutcracker broke its long-held revenue record, and the year before that, it sold out every performance during a tour to The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

While the Ballet West production has been watched and beloved by millions, it also holds a special place for dancers. In its 60-year history, it is estimated that more than 100,000 children have learned Mr. C’s choreography and had the opportunity to dance with Ballet West artists. Last year, Ella Whitney, an 11-year-old was cast as Clara, the most coveted role for the children’s cast. What made this especially serendipitous was that Natalie Whitney, her mother, had also played Clara exactly 20 years before. More incredibly, Natalie’s mother, Connie, also had a role in The Nutcracker, and has vivid memories of Mr. C. teaching his choreography. With more Whitney’s on the way, it’s very possible this chain will continue.

On the other side of the stage, audience members regularly come with two, three, and even four generations in tow. Kelli Wood, a local photographer, has purchased grand tier seats with her mother, every year, for 31 years. Now, Kelli’s daughter also comes along for the Christmas tradition. “When I was young, it wasn’t easy for my mom to purchase those tickets, which made it even more magical entering that beautiful theater,” said Kelli. “I know my daughter is loving it just as much as I did, 31 years ago.”
In 2001, when Mr. C passed away at the age of 99, The San Francisco Chronicle called him the grandfather of American ballet, and he is still credited with rejuvenating dance in America. That renaissance is directly credited to his Nutcracker dream which continues to flourish today.

The Nutcracker remains one of the most beloved and enduring masterpieces in all of ballet. This production comes to the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre from December 2-26. Tickets start at just $20 and are available at www.balletwest.org, at all ArtTix locations, or by calling 801-869-6920.