What’s hot in Utah? According to the National Endowment for the Arts, art is. In the 2016 survey of Public Participation in the Arts, Utah was found to have the highest attendance of art events in the country. A whopping 84.5 percent of adult Utahns attended movies as well as visual and performing arts this past year.

With great venues such as the Sundance Film Festival, Pioneer Theatre, Salt Lake Acting Company, UMFA and the many galleries all over the state, this probably shouldn’t be surprising. Then there’s the fact that 62 percent of Utah adults enjoyed their art virtually. Plus, as proof of just how art-friendly Utah really is, Utahns not only attended the arts but over half of them — 53.6 percent to be exact — also created and performed art.

But, how does this compare to the rest of the nation? In the NEA’s Annual Arts Basic Survey from the years 2013-2015, national arts attendance was at 66.2 percent, with 45.1 percent of adults creating and performing in art. Is Utah not so secretly an arts hub? It would appear so. With the new Hale Centre Theatre being expanded to Sandy and the recently opened Eccles Theater downtown, it would seem Utah’s art scene is only going to grow.

Why are arts so popular here? Perhaps it’s because Utah offers art for everyone. Hale Centre Theatre presents classic family shows such as “The Little Mermaid” and “Peter and the Starcatcher,” while Pioneer Theatre has both contemporary and classic presentations, national premieres and musicals for every season. The Sundance Film Festival features edgy independent films of every genre, and in the summer Shakespeare seduces, betrays and illuminates audiences in southern Utah. Utah Opera, Ballet West, The Symphony and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir present traditional gems such as “The Nutcracker” and “Madame Butterfly.” Desert Star Playhouse is the perfect place for those looking for a laugh and a bite to eat with their clever spoofs such as “Indiana Bones.” Finally, let’s not forget the plethora of galleries and museums. Whether it’s theater, film, galleries, museums or dance Utah has a lot to offer — and that’s just professionally.

Community theater and Utah’s colleges are also always producing new work. This includes visual arts and gallery displays as well as live performances and films, all involving students from across the state. Utahns even start young, with junior shows and children’s theater companies all over the valley.

Art in Utah is looking healthy, to say the least. As of 2015, Utah officially has it’s very own Fringe Festival. Sundance was ranked the second best film festival in the nation by IndieWire, an online filmmakers forum. And the Utah Arts Festival is 40 years old according to Deseret News. Art is taking wing in Utah, and Utahns are loving it.

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