Public Art Sought for Utah’s Statehood Celebration

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Press Release

The Utah Department of Heritage & Arts and Thrive 125, in partnership with the Utah Division of Arts & Museums, is pleased to announce a call to artists and creatives to create new or propose existing artwork related to the 125-year anniversary of Utah Statehood.

Information and how to submit an application is available at https://thrive125.utah.gov/call-for-artists/. Utah based artists working in any visual art field are encouraged to submit a letter of interest and samples of their work. The deadline to submit work for consideration is May 14, 2021.

When considering this project, artists may consider the following statement from the Thrive 125 Project: Since joining the United States on January 4, 1896, after a 50-year effort, Utah has evolved into a dynamic and diverse state. It is a crossroads for America and an economic hub of the Rocky Mountains, anchored by a vibrant culture.

This 125th anniversary of statehood includes all of the people who have shaped Utah during the past 125 years as well as all the indigenous peoples who lived in the region for thousands of years before statehood. And while it is a celebration for some, it may not be for others. This is a chance to honestly discuss our relationships to each other, to the nation as a whole, and to the land itself.

A minimum of ten artists will be selected from the applications. Selected artists will be invited to create work based on their statement of interest, past work samples or the proposed existing works. All selected artists will be paid $3,000 in exchange for a high-quality digital image of the artwork and the unrestricted use of the image by DHA in the promotion and celebration of Thrive 125 and the Utah arts community.

All of the digital images accepted will become part of the archive of the state’s marking of this anniversary. The artist will retain the work and the copyright, with the aforementioned usage rights granted to the Department of Heritage and Arts as an agency of the State of Utah. This project is for artists 18 and older.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Jim Glenn at jglenn@utah.gov or Nancy Rivera at nrivera@utah.gov.

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