Press Release
As part of Think Water Utah, a statewide conversation on the critical topic of water presented by Utah Humanities and its partners, Utah Humanities and the John Wesley Powell River History Museum are collaborating on two water-related events.
Join the John Wesley Powell River History Museum for these events:
May 6: Writing to Witness Green River Workshop with Nan Seymour
May 21: A screening of Rig to Flip’s “River Out of Time” followed by a panel discussion
“We are thrilled to once again partner with Utah Humanities to bring vibrant programming to our local community as part of the Think Water Utah project,” Candice Cravins, Executive Director of the John Wesley Powell River History Museum, said. “Our ‘Writing to Witness Green River’ workshop with Nan Seymour of River Writing will provide visitors with the chance to engage with their own personal stories of the river, while our film screening and panel discussion of ‘A River Out of Time’ will engage patrons with the opportunity to learn more about the impacts of John Wesley Powell’s legacy and what the future may hold for water in the broader American West. I love that each of the events focuses on a different aspect of our relationship with water, both past and present. The programs align beautifully with our mission, and I am pleased to offer these wonderful learning opportunities to our community thanks to the support of Utah Humanities.”
Megan van Frank, Director of the Center for Community Heritage at Utah Humanities, is coordinating the Think Water Utah project, which includes traveling Smithsonian exhibition, as well as local companion exhibits and public programming. She said, “We are excited to bring these experiences to local communities and to collaborate closely with national, state, and community partners to strengthen Utah museums and help preserve and share Utah history.” She hopes that, “visitors will come away with a more nuanced view of how water has shaped the state of Utah as well as its role in their personal lives. The entire Think Water Utah project is a unique opportunity for Utahns to tell their own water stories as part of local, state and national conversations.”
Gregory Smoak, Director of the American West Center, University of Utah, and state scholar for the Think Water Utah project, remarked that, “Water is life. It has shaped the stunning, inspiring and often difficult landscapes of our state. It sustains our very existence and has largely defined where Utahns have lived for the past 12,000 years. And, there can be no future without water. While the challenges facing Utahns appear daunting, the story of Utah’s water ways can offer us a guide. By trying to understand the natural world, its limitations and reasonable opportunities, and considering the many ways in which Utahns have engaged our precious waters, we might use history to map a sustainable way forward.”
To learn more about the statewide Think Water Utah project, contact Utah Humanities at (801) 359-9670 or visit the Think Water Utah portion of the Utah Humanities website.
Many thanks for generous support from the State of Utah, Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Utah Division of State History, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah American West Center, George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Lawrence T. and Janet T. Dee Foundation, Dominion Energy, Rocky Mountain Power, Union Pacific, KCPW Radio, and Utah Public Radio.
About Utah Humanities: Utah Humanities (UH) empowers Utahns to improve their communities through active engagement in the humanities. UH is funded by the Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, and Parks Fund, the State of Utah, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and through gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations. Each year, Utah Humanities supports hundreds of educational and cultural programs throughout Utah. For more information, visit www.utahhumanities.org.