Cabaret of Fools Benefit Gala & Auction @ Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company (SLC: March 31)

Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company’s
Cabaret of Fools Benefit Gala & Auction

Saturday, March 31, 2012 | 6:30 p.m.
Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center | 138 West Broadway | Salt Lake City

Special Guest Performance by Haywire Outfit

Join us at this classy, charmingly flamboyant affair as Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company celebrates its legacy of exceptional dance performances and education. Brilliant entertainment, stunning floral design and fabulous food all harmonically converge on the eve of April Fool's Day.

Our provocative auction items will tantalize and inspire you. It's all for a great cause as we gather to raise funds for the Company's celebrated

educational outreach and artistic programming.

So, don your most debonair evening wear, get ready to kick up your heels, and "tip your hat" to statewide dance education. Prizes are in store for the most foolish, flamboyant, and fabulous hats. Come see and be seen at what Salt Lake Magazine has called

"The Party of the Year."

Tickets: $85 per guest | $75 for season subscribers | $100 at the door

Mail in your check or buy tickets online at www.ririewoodbury.com

Contact David Hodges at 801-297-4236 or development@ririewoodbury.com with any questions.

The City Library Art Exhibit Call for Entries (Deadline: March 27 - April 10)

For Immediate Release

Media Contact:

Julianne Hancock

e: jhancock@slcpl.org

p: 801.455.3432

The City Library Art Exhibit Call for Entries

Submissions Requested from Local Artists of All Ages

March 8, 2012 - SALT LAKE CITY - The City Library provides the opportunity for local artists to share their work with the community.  Exhibits are ongoing, year round, at all City Library locations. From March 27—April 10, artists have the chance to have their work considered for exhibition.

Providing exhibition opportunities to local artists is of great importance to The City Library, as it facilitates exposing residents to new art forms and ideas, and enriches the community by fostering creativity and inspiring curiosity.

Submissions are accepted twice a year, and exhibitions typically run for 45 days. Artists are often asked to give a brief presentation about their work with a reception to follow. This is a great opportunity for artists to have their work on display for a large general audience.

Artists can submit either physical or electronic portfolios, and details for submission are available at www.slcpl.org/callforentries.

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JULIANNE HANCOCK 

Communications Manager | Salt Lake City Public Library 

p: 801.524.8219 | m: 801.455.3432 | jhancock@slcpl.org 

“The New Deal,” a history lecture by John Sillito @ WSU (Ogden: March 28)

 Waiting for Lefty?:

The New Deal, Radicalism, and the Great Depression of the 1930s

Who: Weber State University Department of Performing Arts

What: “The New Deal,” a history lecture by John Sillito

When: March 28, 1:30 p.m. 

Where: Shepherd Union Building, Room 305

Weber State University Department of Performing Arts presents  a lecture by John Sillito on the New Deal, in conjunction with an upcoming play: “The Cradle Will Rock,” by Marc Blitzstein, directed by Trent Cox. The play was a product of the Federal Theatre Project, one of five Federal One projects sponsored by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s. This lecture is free and open to the public.

John Sillito teaches history at Weber State. He has done extensive research on radicalism and Utah labor. His most recent book, “Startling Socialistic and Decidedly Revolutionary,” co-authored with John S. McCormick was published by USU Press in 2011.

Performing Arts Marketing Director, Caril Jennings, says, “This lecture will serve as ‘collateral support’ for our audience to have a better understanding of this time period. The interesting part, to me, is that we appear to be having the same discussions today as we did almost 75 years ago.” 

For more information about the lecture contact Sillito: jsillito@weber.edu 

For more information about the theatre production contact Caril Jennings at crjennings@weber.edu

“The Cradle Will Rock,” 

The production runs March 23, 24, 27-31, 7:30 p.m., with a 2:00 pm matinee on March 31, in the Eccles Theater, Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $11 and $8 for all shows and are available in advance at Dee Events Center Tickets, 1-800-WSU-TIKS, weberstatetickets.com or at the door beginning one hour before the performance.  The production contains adult situations and language. 

An allegory of corruption and corporate greed, this play was written in 1937, directed by Orson Welles and produced by John Housemen as part of the Federal Theatre Project.* Set in “Steeltown, USA”, Larry Foreman tries to unionize the town’s workers and combat greedy businessman Mr. Mister, who controls the town’s factory, press, church and social organization.

The Federal Theatre Project’s primary goal was employment of out-of-work artists, writers and directors, with the secondary aim of entertaining poor families and creating relevant art.” (wikipedia) 

When the WPA shut down “The Cradle Will Rock,” forbidding the producers to use the costumes or sets or the actors to appear on stage, Welles, Houseman, and Blitzstein rented another theatre, intending Blitzstein to sing/play/read the entire musical. Without prior planning, cast members joined from the audience (not on stage). The success of the performance led Welles and Houseman to form the Mercury Theatre.   

For more information, contact director Trent Cox: tbone_jtc@hotmail.com

UTAH FILM CENTER TO HOST BURMESE HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE BO KYI AND A SCREENING OF "INTO THE CURRENT" AS PART OF NATIONAL TOUR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 9, 2012

For more information: Levi Elder - 801.746.7000 // lelder@utahfilmcenter.org

UTAH FILM CENTER TO HOST BURMESE HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE BO KYI AND A SCREENING OF

INTO THE CURRENT AS PART OF NATIONAL TOUR

Salt Lake City, UT – Bo Kyi, a former political prisoner and co-founder of the internationally respected organization Assistance Association for Political Prisoners–Burma (AAPP-B), comes to Salt Lake City as part of a US campaign tour to raise awareness on the political prisoner situation in Burma and to launch the acclaimed film INTO THE CURRENT: BURMA'S POLITICAL PRISONERS.  The Salt Lake City event is on Tuesday, March 20 at 7:00 pm at The City Library (210 E. 400 S.). Bo Kyi will introduce the film and participate in a moderated Q+A with Troy Williams, Public Affairs Director at KRCL. More information about the film and the screening are available at www.utahfilmcenter.org. The event is presented in partnership with Burma Humanitarian Mission.

The month-long campaign tour will include events and appearances in many cities and on university campuses across the US. The kick-off event will be held March 10, 2012 in Oakland, CA as part of the annual Burma Human Rights Day.

Bo Kyi received the Freedom and Human Rights Award (2011) and the Human Rights Watch Alison Des Forges Defender Award (2009) for his “extraordinary activism and heroic efforts.” He spent over seven years in Burma’s prisons for his pro-democracy activities.

He is co-founder of AAPP-B, an organization on the Thai-Burma border that documents prison conditions and the oppression against activists, advocates for the release of political prisoners, and provides valuable support to families of imprisoned loved ones. These political prisoners, who never should have been imprisoned in the first place, are serving longer-than-life sentences for exercising their most basic universal freedoms.

INTO THE CURRENT: BURMA'S POLITICAL PRISONERS, directed by Jeanne Hallacy, is a moving film that sheds light on Burma's unsung heroes – its political prisoners – and the price they’ve paid for speaking their truth under the powers of a military regime. The film is a co-production with the Democratic Voice of Burma and features Bo Kyi’s work to free all political prisoners in Burma while striving to deepen the understanding of their role as political leaders.

During the tour, Bo Kyi will address the essential role political prisoners have to play in Burma’s burgeoning democracy movement and in national unity, as well as the sincerity of the recent rapid-fire changes that have taken place in Burma, including a substantial release of high-profile political prisoners on January 13, 2012. He will elaborate on what is needed to solidify these changes and genuinely move Burma towards a sustainable democracy.

This film is part of the Utah Film Center’s FILMS WITHOUT BORDERS series, which is generously sponsored by the Lawrence T. Dee and Janet T. Dee Foundation, the Marriner S. Eccles Foundation, eBay Foundation, and the Salt Lake City Arts Council. Utah Film Center programs are made possible by the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Rio Tinto, Salt Lake County’s Zoo, Arts and Parks Program, Sorenson Legacy Foundation, the Swartz Foundation, and Zions Bank.

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PROGRAMMING AND DATES ANNOUNCED FOR NINTH ANNUAL DEER VALLEY® MUSIC FESTIVAL (July 14 - Aug 11)

Media Contact:

Hilarie Ashton | Public Relations Manager

hashton@usuo.org | (801)869-9027

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 9, 2012

PROGRAMMING AND DATES ANNOUNCED FOR NINTH ANNUAL DEER VALLEY® MUSIC FESTIVAL

PARK CITY, UT – Utah Symphony | Utah Opera President & CEO Melia Tourangeau announced the preliminary concert lineup for the organization’s summer music festival before a February 9 Utah Symphony performance in Park City. Today the organization released the complete Deer Valley® Music Festival schedule with the addition of two previously unannounced concerts.

Utah Symphony | Utah Opera’s ninth annual Deer Valley® Music Festival will return July 14 through August 11, 2012. The Festival will open with the Music of Michael Jackson featuring James Delisco and continue with additional Utah Symphony performances featuring Pink Martini, Kansas, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Earth, Wind, & Fire. Other highlights include an all-new program based on the popular “Jewish American Songbook” cabaret concert from the 2011 Festival and a reprise of the sold-out “Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies” program from the 2010 Festival. This season will also mark the anticipated return of Utah Opera to the Deer Valley® Music Festival with an evening of “Opera Hits!” on the hill.

For the past eight years, the Deer Valley® Music Festival has brought the best pops, classical, opera, family and chamber music performances to the picturesque mountains of Park City, Utah. Multiple performances each week give patrons the choice of a wide variety of events.

Friday “Summer Symphony” concerts and Saturday “Zions Bank Summer Entertainment” concerts will be held at the Deer Valley® Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater where audience members are invited to picnic under the stars and enjoy Utah Symphony and Utah Opera performances after a day of shopping, hiking or golfing in Summit County. Chamber concerts will be held on Wednesdays in the more intimate setting of Park City’s St. Mary’s Church. Two special return performances of the “Jewish American Songbook” will also be held in Park City’s Temple Har Shalom. 

Season ticket packages and group tickets for all Deer Valley® Music Festival concerts are on sale now, and can be purchased at the Abravanel Hall Ticket Office by calling (801) 533-NOTE (6683). A single-ticket local sale for Summit County residents will take place on Saturday, March 17 at the Bellemarc Building, located at 1912 Sidewinder Drive in Park City. Single tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, March, 19. At that time, ticket-buyers can also purchase online at deervalleymusicfestival.org and through ArtTix outlets by calling (801) 533-ARTS (2787). Student discounts and family passes will be available for select performances. Ticket prices will increase $5 when purchased the day of the performance.

Press photos available at http://www.deervalleymusicfestival.org/press-room/itemlist/category/13-media-kit (Username: usuoimages, Password: summerfun)

“Zions Bank Summer Entertainment Series” and “Summer Symphony Series” at Deer Valley® Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater

Friday and Saturday concerts at the Deer Valley® Music Festival will include a little bit of everything: rock, pop, classical, opera, R&B, Disney and Broadway show tunes. Most performances will be led by the always entertaining Jerry Steichen, Utah Symphony Principal Pops Conductor.

The Saturday “Zions Bank Summer Entertainment Series” will open with a Utah Symphony tribute to the King of Pop – Michael Jackson – starring James Delisco, winner of the E! Network series “The Entertainer.” Other series concerts include the popular “Broadway Rocks!” and Utah Symphony performances with American rock band Kansas and classic R&B group Earth, Wind & Fire. The series will close with anticipated guest artists Pink Martini also performing with the orchestra.

Friday “Summer Symphony Series” concerts will include a return of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with the Utah Symphony and the 2010 Festival’s sold-out hit, “Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies,” including all-new arrangements from “Toy Story” and “Mulan.” The Festival’s annual performance of 1812 Overture and an evening of “Opera Hits!” presented by Utah Opera with the orchestra will round out the series with a touch of classical music favorites.

Wednesday Chamber Series at St. Mary’s Church

Wednesday Chamber concerts at St. Mary’s Church will feature Utah Symphony performances of the Mozart Symphony No. 40, an evening of music by French composers and Juilliard Concerto Competition winner Sean Lee performing the Dvořák Romance for Violin and Orchestra  and Sarasate’s “Gypsy Airs” – all led by Utah Symphony Associate Conductor Vladimir Kulenovic. The Muir Quartet, the Festival’s resident quartet, will also return for a featured evening of string chamber music.

Special Event at Temple Har Shalom

After a standing-room-only performance of the “Jewish American Songbook” last summer, the Festival will bring an all-new “Jewish American Songbook” cabaret program to the Temple Har Shalom starring Broadway guest artists with Jerry Steichen at the piano. This performance will be featured on two nights, Tuesday, July 31 and Thursday, August 2.

VIP Events and Packages

VIP packages prior to both Friday and Saturday performances will continue at this year’s Festival and include VIP parking, pre-concert gourmet dinner at the resort, premium reserved seating and access to the intermission reception. Our VIP package pricing includes a charitable contribution built into the various package options. Salon Events will also continue, featuring intimate performances in luxurious private residences by Festival artists. Cost will be $125 per person. For, more information regarding VIP packages and our Salon Events schedule please call (801) 869-9010 or email vipevents@usuo.org .

Volunteer Information

Volunteers for the Festival are needed in multiple positions: ushers, ticket takers, backstage, etc. Benefits include complimentary tickets for the night the person volunteers. Contact Melissa Singleton at volunteers@usuo.org or (801) 869-9067 for more information.

Complete 2012 Deer Valley® Music Festival Calendar

Zions Bank Summer Entertainment 1

The Music of Michael Jackson with the Utah Symphony

July 14, 2012 (Sat) | 7:30 PM | Deer Valley® Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater

Brent Havens, Conductor

James Delisco, Vocalist

Chamber Orchestra 1

Mythic Romance

July 18, 2012 (Wed) | 8 PM | St. Mary’s Church

Vladimir Kulenovic, Conductor

Sean Lee, Violin

MOZART: Overture to Don Giovanni

VUK KULENOVIC: Mechanical Orpheus

DVOŘÁK: Romance for Violin & Orchestra

SARASATE: Gypsy Airs

SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 4 “Tragic”

Summer Symphony 1

Opera Hits!  with Utah Opera

July 20, 2012 (Fri) | 7:30 PM | Deer Valley® Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater

Jerry Steichen, Conductor

Utah Opera Chorus

Zions Bank Summer Entertainment 2

Kansas with the Utah Symphony

July 21, 2012 (Sat) | 7:30 PM | Deer Valley® Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater

Larry Baird, Conductor

Chamber Orchestra 2

The French Connection

July 25, 2012 (Wed) | 8 PM | St. Mary’s Church

Vladimir Kulenovic, Conductor

FAURÉ: Pavane

GOUNOD: Symphony No. 1

RAVEL : Mother Goose Suite

DEBUSSY : Clair de lune

RAVEL: Le Tombeau de Couperin

Summer Symphony 2

1812 Overture!

July 27, 2012 (Fri) | 7:30 PM | Deer Valley® Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater

Vladimir Kulenovic, Conductor

Tchaikovsky      1812 Overture

Zions Bank Summer Entertainment 3

Broadway Rocks!

July 28, 2012 (Sat) | 7:30 PM | Deer Valley® Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater

Jerry Steichen, Conductor

Chamber Ensemble 1

Jewish American Songbook

July 31 & August 2, 2012 (Tues & Thurs) | 7:30 PM | Temple Har Shalom

Jerry Steichen, Musical Direction and Piano

Chamber Ensemble 2

Muir String Quartet

August 1, 2012 (Wed) | 8 PM | St. Mary’s Church

Peter Zazofsky, Violin

Lucia Lin, Violin

Steven Ansell, Viola

Michael Reynolds, Cello

MOZART: Quartet in D Major (No. 21)

JOAN TOWER: Quartet No. 4

BEETHOVEN: Quartet in A Minor (No. 15)

Summer Symphony 3

Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies

August 3, 2012 (Fri) | 7:30 PM | Deer Valley® Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater

Jerry Steichen, Conductor

Zions Bank Summer Entertainment 4

Earth, Wind, & Fire Guiding Lights Tour 2012

with the Utah Symphony

August 4, 2012 (Sat) | 7:30 PM | Deer Valley® Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater

Charles Floyd, Conductor

Chamber Orchestra 3

Beethoven, Haydn, and Mozart

August 8, 2012 (Wed) | 8 PM | St. Mary’s Church

Vladimir Kulenovic, Conductor

BEETHOVEN: Ballet of the Knights

HAYDN: Symphony No. 90

MOZART: Symphony No. 40

Summer Symphony 4

“The American Songbook” with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Utah Symphony

August 10, 2012 (Fri) | 7:30 PM | Deer Valley® Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater

Mack Wilberg, Conductor

Zions Bank Summer Entertainment 5

Pink Martini with the Utah Symphony

August 11, 2012 (Sat) | 7:30 PM | Deer Valley® Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater

Jerry Steichen, Conductor

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Hilarie Ashton

Public Relations Manager
801.869.9027 office

801.335.9387 cell

JOB: Volunteer for Craft Lake City

For Immediate Release:


SALT LAKE CITY, March 9, 2012 – Craft Lake City’s fourth annual festival is on the horizon and is in need of volunteers. Those who give their time will be asked to sign up in the following areas: artists in set up and tear down, welcome festival-goers as they arrive, support the stage managers, offer directions at the information booth, and oversee craft creation in the kid’s area.

“Volunteers are an integral part of Craft Lake City and are vital to the success of our festival,” says Festival Director, Angela H. Brown. “Without the volunteer help from our community, CLC simply would not exist.”

"By giving just a few hours of my time to help set up or pass out information, I'm giving the artists the chance to focus their time and energy to share with the community their talents instead of worrying about festival details," said Shantel Mota-Harmon, Salt Lake City native and Craft Lake City 2011 volunteer. "Not only did I have a great time helping but I also met some great people who I now call my friends."

Craft Lake City will be held on Saturday, August 11th, with extended hours this year, from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. It is an outdoor event that is free and open to the public. Over 180 artists will showcase their truly unique, yet affordable wares. Handmade purses and bags, one-of-a-kind home decor, silk-screened paper goods, pottery, jewelry, metal and wood-work creations are just a few of the items that will be available.

This year’s festival also boasts a brand new Science and Technology area, located in the Gallivan Center’s recently built Banquet Room. Entertainment will be provided throughout the day and will include a kids crafting area, street performers and musical acts. The event is hosted by the Gallivan Center. Last year’s event welcomed close to 10,000 visitors.

For more information or promotional items such as posters, flyers, or photos contact:

Angela Brown 801-487-9221, angela@slugmag.com or Karamea 801.487.9221, karamea@slugmag.com

To volunteer, please visit: www.craftlakecity.com/volunteer. Be sure to friend Craft Lake City on Facebook and Twitter @craftlakecity to get up-to-date information.

About Craft Lake City: Craft Lake City is an outdoor alternative arts festival held in August every year at the Gallivan Center in Salt Lake City, UT. CLC was started in 2009 by Angela H. Brown, editor and publisher of SLUG Magazine, as a way to showcase the local do it yourself culture. The festival features over 180 local vendors, along with live entertainment that includes craft demonstrations, street performers and musical acts, and local food vendors. Craft Lake City has filed paperwork with the IRS and is awaiting non-profit  501 (c)(3) approval.

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"Insectsual" and "Glimpses of Decorated Life" Exhibits at Art Access: March 16 - April 13 (SLC)

Salt Lake City, UT - March, 2012

Art Access Gallery

Insectsual:

Metal Sculptures and Jewelry 

by Ric Blackerby

    Art Access Gallery is pleased to present the work of Ric Blackerby. 

     In his search for ideas for jewelry design, Blackerby first discovered the beauty of the insect world while observing a dragonfly with his optivisor, a magnifying device for viewing fine detail. What he saw inspired him with a life-long artistic interest in insects. "The more insects I studied, the more infatuated I became. The fact that they have exoskeletons lends itself so naturally to metals," he says.

     In addition to jewelry, he eventually began making insect sculptures out of steel, with an intent to draw the viewer's attention to the details seldom seen by most people. "A six-foot beetle demands a closer look," he says.

     "The jewelry first inspired the sculpture," adds Blackerby. "Now they move through the studio - some are jeweled, some are armored. An insectsual world." 

Access II Gallery

Glimpses of Decorated Life:

Oil Paintings and Collage Work

by Mary Boerens Sinner

     Art Access II is pleased to feature the work of Mary Boerens Sinner. 

     Boerens describes her work as an exploration of emotion and interests, through a variety of media. "I am very conscious of geometry, color, temperature, line quality and texture," says Boerens. Her work is inspired by fashion, mid-century sensibilities and her own memories.

     Boerens prefers humans over other subject matters, "A person interacting with objects in space gives ample room to play with narrative, emotion, proportions, etc.," she says. "I try to make my pieces feel as though there are moments of complete certainty and others of accidental success. In either case, the piece needs to feel decidedly imperfect. If I don't feel uneasy, the piece isn't complete."

Contacts:

Sheryl Gillilan

Executive Director

Art Access/VSA Utah

801-328-0703, option 3

Ric Blackerby

801-467-4465

Mary Boerens Sinner

801-644-4796

Exhibition 

Dates & Hours

March 16 - April 13, 2012

Gallery Stroll Reception on Friday, March 16

from 6 to 9PM.

Art Access Gallery

is located at 230 South 500 West, #125 in Salt Lake City.

Regular gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10:00AM to 6:00PM.

www.accessart.org

About Art Access Galleries

The Art Access Galleries provide opportunities for artists with disabilities to access the mainstream of the arts community by exhibiting their work with that of artists without disabilities. 

Our Supporters

Art Access Gallery is funded in part by the following: Zoo Arts and Parks, George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Utah Arts & Museums, Doctorow Family Foundation, Lawrence T. Dee & Janet T. Dee Foundation, Salt Lake City Arts Council, Kennecott Utah Copper Foundation, Marion D. & Maxine C. Hanks Foundation, and the generous support of our patrons and artists.

Dance All Day for Just $10 @ RDT's Community School (SLC; March 24)

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2012
Stephanie Perkins
stephanie@rdtutah.org
801-534-1000

Dance All Day for Just $10 
March 24, 2012
9:00 am - 1:40 pm
Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center (138 W Broadway)
$10 at the door

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Repertory Dance Theatre (RDT) invites the public to sample our entire slate of Community School dance classes at an Open House, March 24, 2012 at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 West Broadway (300 South), beginning at 9:00 am. Open House participants can participate in any or all of the Community School's classes during the day for only $10 all day (no advance registration required), or free with the purchase of a ten-class punch card. If you buy a 10 class punch card at the Open House pay the special price of $90.
The Open House schedule* is as follows:
9:00-9:40 am Prime Movement / SOMA
9:40-10:20 am Ballet
10:20-11:00 am Zumba
11:00-11:40 am Modern
11:40-12:20 pm African
12:20-1:00 pm Flamenco
1:00-1:40 pm Dance for Musical Theatre -new class!

*schedule subject to change, visit our website or "Like" us on Facebook for up to date information.
Additional class descriptions, schedules, and instructor bios can be found at the RDT website, www.rdtutah.org or by calling 801-534-1000.
RDT's upcoming show, Passage, runs March 22-24, 2012, including a 2:00 pm matinee on Saturday (March 24). Students attending the Open House are invited to complete their "day of dance" with an RDT performance at the conclusion of the classes offered (not included in the price of the Open House-tickets can be purchased through ArtTix). Click here for more information about Passage.
***
Introducing a new class - "Dance for Musical Theatre"

Dance for Musical Theatre will focus on the execution of dance as a method of storytelling. In musical theatre, characters sing when emotion becomes too strong to speak, and they dance when they are even further transported. This class will focus on different styles of musical theatre dance by exploring movement within the musical theatre lexicon. Students will have the opportunity to learn original Broadway choreography, work with local professionals who are currently in production, and explore various aspects of the dance language of musical theatre.

Let Them Eat Cupcakes (aka The Cupcake Project): April 6-May 19 @ Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (SLC)

Contact: Danica Farley| danica.farley@utahmoca.org | 801.328.4201 x 115

www.utahmoca.org | 20 S West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

For Immediate Release:
March 13, 2012

Let Them Eat Cupcakes (aka The Cupcake Project): April 6-May 19

By Elizabeth Tobias

The Not So Sweet Truth about the Growing Hunger Epidemic in America

Salt Lake City, UT- The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art is pleased to announce a new exhibition of work by Elizabeth Tobias, April 6-May 19. Let Them Eat Cupcakes (aka The Cupcake Project) combines performance, community outreach and installation art to create a sobering commentary about the scale of hunger in the United States.

During her one-night-only appearance on April 6 from 8-10 p.m., Tobias will barter homemade cupcakes to UMOCA visitors willing to share an idea or memory about hunger on an index card. The hunger index cards from the evening, along with cards from earlier iterations of the performance in Los Angeles, Boston and other American cities, will be arranged inside a colorfully lit emergency-relief tent surrounded by images of confectionary sprinkles. 

The project’s title refers to the apocryphal statement attributed to French Queen Marie Antoinette, who, upon hearing that her subjects were starving for lack of bread, replied: “Let them eat cake.”

"There is something very delightful about a cupcake and everywhere I go, if I have a cupcake in my hand, people will talk to me," Tobias said. The results were varied. One card read, "Need a job and house." Another said, "All I need is someone to care about to keep pressing forward." For the show Tobias morphed her cupcake pop-up into installation art.

The residue of the April 6 performance, including tent, lanterns, index cards and images of sprinkles—but not cupcakes—will be on view at UMOCA through May 19, 2012.

About the Artist
Elizabeth Tobias has worked for over 20 years in photo, video, film and performance. Her practice purposefully intersects art with science, psychology and activism to engage and provoke dialogue concerning timely issues. Elizabeth most recently earned a Durfee ARC grant for The Cupcake Project and a resource grant from Caltech Classroom Connection for SEE THRU, an ongoing group project intersecting photography with neuroscience. She received her MA in Psychology in 2005 and has since donated time to domestic violence counseling and homeless meal outreach in the Los Angeles area. In 2006, Elizabeth purchased the historic Splinter Brothers and Sisters Warehouse in Tucson, Arizona, a vibrant art studio compound, and constructed a free public space dedicated to the presentation of performance art.  Elizabeth currently lives in Los Angeles.

Special thanks to Los Angeles Art Association, where The Cupcake Project originated in 2010.

About UMOCA
Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (formerly Salt Lake Art Center) was recognized as Best Museum in the State of Utah for 2011. Founded in 1931 and now located in the heart of Salt Lake City, UMOCA exhibits groundbreaking work by leading local and international artists. UMOCA is currently exhibiting 2012 Sundance Film Festival New Frontier, FAX and Onomatopoeia by Constant Dullaart. Coming up in June is Play Me I’m Yours, inviting people to show off their piano skills on street corners around downtown. UMOCA also offers a lively mix of award-winning educational programs, film screenings, panel discussions and events celebrating Salt Lake’s vibrant local art scene.

UMOCA is located at 20 S. West Temple and is open Tuesday-Thursday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Friday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday. Admission is free. For more information call (801) 328-4201 or visit www.utahmoca.org.

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Danica Farley | Director of Communications | Utah Museum of Contemporary Art | 20 S. West Temple | Salt Lake City, UT 84101 | 801.328.4201 ext. 115

Art Director G. RONALD SPEARS @ SUU's Art Insights (CC: March 29)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/13/12
Michael French

Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator
College of Performing and Visual Arts
Southern Utah University
Office: 435-865-8667
michaelfrench@suu.edu

Image Credits:

"Rush" by G. Ronald Spears, courtesy of G. Ronald Spears

"Fools Gold" by G. Ronald Spears, courtesy of G. Ronald Spears

FOR CALENDAR EDITORS: ART INSIGHTS, G. RONALD SPEARS

WHAT:             From award-winning art director for Wizards of the Coast to creating hundreds of illustrations for Magic: The Gathering and the Harry Potter Card Game, illustrator G. Ronald Spears depicts realms from beyond the imagination. This talented artist will discuss his craft and experience of his presentation as part of SUU’s Department of Art and Design’s weekly lecture series, Art Insights.

WHO:               Art Insights, Southern Utah University, Department of Art and Design

WHEN:             Thursday, March 29, 2012

TIME:               7:00pm

WHERE:           Centrum Arena, Section K, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, UT

TICKETS:         Phone: Arts Hotline: (435) 865-8800 or visit: www.suu.edu/arts

PRICES:           Free and the General Public is encouraged to attend.

SUU’S ART INSIGHTS TO FEATURE

ILLUSTRATOR G. RONALD SPEARS

MARCH 29, 2012

Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah: From award-winning art director for Wizards of the Coast to creating hundreds of illustrations for Magic: The Gathering and the Harry Potter Card Game, illustrator G. Ronald Spears depicts realms from beyond the imagination. This talented artist will discuss his craft and experience at his presentation as part of SUU’s Department of Art and Design’s weekly lecture series, Art Insights, on Thursday, March 29, 2012. The lecture begins at 7pm at Centrum Arena, Section K, admission is free and the general public is encouraged to attend.

G. Ronald Spears’ diverse career as an illustrator has taken him on a colorful journey. He had illustrated book covers, magazine articles, video games and much more. He illustrated the children’s book Dad, Are You the Tooth Fairy? written by renowned comic actor Jason Alexander. As a Lead Illustrator for International Game Technology, and an Art Director for Sierra On-Line, Ron has created countless illustrations for dozens of video games. Additional projects include illustrations for Dungeons and Dragons, Upper Deck, Blizzard Entertainment and many others. He received his Bachelor of Art from the University of Puget Sound and was awarded his Master of Fine Arts from the University of Hartford. Ron is currently an assistant professor at Southern Utah University in the Department of Art and Design.

Art Insights is a weekly program hosted during the fall and spring semesters by SUU’s Art and Design faculty. Students and community members meet weekly to experience presentations and discussions by visiting artists and art educators from around the nation who share their work and insights and attend gallery openings. Admission is free, and the general public is invited to attend.

Enter a world of creativity and color by attending G. Ronald Spears’ Art Insights presentation. For more information on the SUU College of Performing and Visual Arts events, please call the Arts Hotline at (435) 865-8800, or visit www.suu.edu/arts.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE
The Southern Utah University College of Performing and Visual Arts is comprised of nationally accredited departments of Art and Design, Music, Theatre Arts and Dance, as well as a graduate program in Arts Administration. The College offers 16 different degree areas, including liberal arts Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees; professional Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts in art and theatre degrees; and a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration degree. More than 60 full- and part-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 550 majors in the College. Over 1100 students enroll each year in over 195 arts classes on the SUU campus. The College presents 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year. The College’s affiliate organizations include the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, American Folk Ballet, Utah Shakespeare Festival and the SUU Ballroom Dance Company. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, contact the Office of the Dean at (435) 865-8561, or by e-mail at cpvamktg@suu.edu.

DesignArts Utah ’12 call for entries (Deadline: June 15 - July 27)

**The body of this e-mail is also in the attachment**

For immediate release                Alyssa Hickman Grove, 801.533.5760

13 March 2012                           Constituent Relations & Media, Utah Arts & Museums

Geoffrey Fattah, 801.386.4755

Communications Director, Utah Dept. of Community and Culture

DesignArts Utah ’12 call for entries

Works invited from architects and designers of all fields

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Arts & Museums announces the call for entries for DesignArts Utah ’12, a juried exhibition highlighting the work of designers in any design field who currently live in Utah. David Revere McFadden of the Museum of Arts & Design in New York City is the 2012 juror and curator. All entries for DesignArts Utah ’12 must be submitted by April 27, 2012. The exhibition of selected designs opens Friday, June 15 and runs through Thursday, July 27, 2012 inside the Rio Grande Depot at the Rio Gallery, 300 S. Rio Grande (455 West) in Salt Lake City.

The juror, David Revere McFadden, is Chief Curator and Vice President for Programs and Collections at the Museum of Arts & Design in New York City. He served as Curator of Decorative Arts and Assistant Director for Collections and Research at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, and also has served as President of the International Council of Museums’ Decorative Arts and Design Committee. McFadden has received the Presidential Design Award three times; is an Associate Member, The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, London; Knight First Class, Order of the Lion of Finland; Knight Commander, Order of the Northern Star of Sweden; and Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France.

“It’s so important to recognize Utah’s best designers,” said Margaret Hunt, Utah Arts & Museums Director. “They make invaluable contributions to our state’s quality of life and economic vitality.”

DesignArts annual exhibitions feature selections of designs, prototypes, and produced samples by designers in Utah’s various design fields. Designers may submit produced work or conceptual, pre-production documentation. All Utah designers, including those in the fields of architecture (landscape or structural) and community planning and design (urban and rural), as well as those in brand/packaging, display, fashion, furniture, graphic, industrial, interior, lighting, theatre or film set, transportation, Web design or other design fields, are invited to participate. Entries must be submitted to Utah Arts and Museums, Design Arts Program, 300 S. Rio Grande, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 27, 2012. The designer selected as the Juror’s Award Winner for DesignArts Utah ’12 will receive a $2,500 recognition and thank-you for the achievement and contribution to Utah.

Further information, including entry forms and instructions, is available online at www.designartsutah.org. If you have questions about the DesignArts Utah ’12 entries or the exhibition, contact Jim Glenn at jglenn@utah.gov or 801.533.3585.

About Utah Arts & Museums

Utah Arts & Museums is a division of the Utah Department of Community and Culture with a goal to promote innovation in and the growth of Utah’s arts and culture community. The division provides funding, education, and technical services to individuals and organizations statewide so that all Utahns, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or economic status, can access, understand, and receive the benefits of arts and culture. Additional information on the programs and services can be found at www.artsandmuseums.utah.gov or by calling 801.236.7555.

Alyssa Hickman Grove

Constituent Relations & Media

Utah Arts & Museums

617 East South Temple

Salt Lake City, UT 84102

Phone: 801.533.5760

www.artsandmuseums.utah.gov

Spend an Evening in Paris at the Grand Theatre (SLC: March 31)

P r e s s   R e l e a s e

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March, 2012

Contact:
Richard Scott
Executive & Artistic Director,
The Grand Theatre
Phone: 801-957-3263
Richard.scott@slcc.edu
www.the-grand.org

Spend an Evening in Paris at the Grand Theatre

Date: Saturday, March 31, 2012
Time: 7:30 pm 

Location: The Grand Theatre, Salt Lake Community College, 1575 South State Street, Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, UT – Amid the swell of an accordion, or the smooth sway of gypsy jazz, or the croon of a female vocalist, imagine acrobats swirling from suspended silk or hoops or a juggler’s hands busily keeping everything up in the air. Such are the sensations waiting to be experienced during Evening in Paris, the next World Music and Dance event produced by The Grand Theatre. Local talent is being brought together for a night of entertainment on the big stage.

Gypsy jazz favorite, Red Rock Hot Club, performs the work of Django Reinhardt, the famous guitarist who developed a new jazz style of guitar sometimes called “hot” jazz guitar. Reinhardt played this jazz form in cabarets in Paris during the 1930s and 40s. Rich Daigle leads the four piece Red Rock Hot Club, one of America’s best known Gypsy Jazz Ensembles, as they play many of Reinhardt’s most well-known tunes. Vocalist Melissa Pace Tanner sings songs of the era, while Stephen Keen blends in with accordion or piano accompaniment. Cirque de la Soul, professional acrobats and aerial artists, provide athletic and daring feats of sophisticated circus performance. Tickets are $5-$12 and can be purchased at The Grand Theatre box office at (801) 957-3447 or online at www.the-grand.org. Salt Lake Community College students receive free admission.

“The Salt Lake community is known for the talented individuals who live here,” said Richard Scott, Executive & Artistic Director of The Grand Theatre. “It makes sense to bring together the diverse talent of our community and showcase the various artistic styles that are represented here in a new way. And we have the perfect venue in which to do it.”

Support for Evening in Paris comes in part from the Salt Lake Community College Arts and Cultural Events, the Salt Lake City Arts Council, the Utah Division of Arts and Museums, The George S and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation and the Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, and Parks program.

For additional information, please contact Richard Scott at richard.scott@slcc.edu or (801) 957-3263 or Kandace Steadman at kandace.steadman@slcc.edu or (801) 957-3447.

Kandace Steadman

Community Outreach Coordinator

Grand Theatre

1575 South State Street

Salt Lake City, UT 84115

(801) 957-3447

This message, and any attachments, is intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged and confidential or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any unauthorized use, dissemination, distribution or reproduction of this message is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender by return e-mail and delete this e-mail and any attachments from your system.  ­­  

SALT LAKE VOCAL ARTISTS PREMIERE THREE NEW WORKS IN “ACROSS THE VAST ETERNAL SKY” (SLC: March 24)

SALT LAKE VOCAL ARTISTS PREMIERE THREE NEW WORKS IN “ACROSS THE VAST ETERNAL SKY”

MARCH 24, 2012, 7:30PM, WATERFORD SCHOOL CONCERT HALL

SALT LAKE CITY –  There is no treat for the mind, heart and ears like the precise, articulate and resonant sound of the Salt Lake Vocal Artists. Under the direction of Dr. Brady Allred, this professional-level ensemble of some of SLCA's finest voices will premiere three new works written especially for them, in “Across the Vast Eternal Sky,” an exquisite blend of music from around the world, including songs in Hebrew, folk tunes, selections from the Mass, and the ethereal Stars, by Eriks Esenvalds , which was also commissioned for them, and was premiered last year to great acclaim.

There will be three world premieres and two local premieres in this concert; Kieren MacMillan wrote “Go Thy Way,” for the Salt Lake Vocal Artists, he said, “Following the world premiere performances and recording of Wither’s Carol, I selected a short benedictory text to set for Dr. Brady Allred as thanks for his patronage and support. That was 2001 — in 2011, I finally gave him his gift.” 

SLVA will also present the hauntingly beautiful spiritual, “Wondrous Love,” arranged by Dr. Susan Neimoyer, a Professor of Musicology at the University of Utah, as well as a revised version of Norwegian born composer, Ola Gjeilo’s, “Across the Vast Eternal Sky,” with inspirational and stirring lyrics by Charles Anthony Silvestri.

In addition, they will perform music from around the world including sacred music from Spain, contemporary music from Latvia, and traditional folk music of the Americas.

Who: Salt Lake Vocal Artists

What: Across the vast Eternal Sky – including three world premieres

Where/When: Waterford School Concert Hall, 1480 East 9400 South, Sandy, UT 84093
(Enter from 1700 East),  March 24, 2012 7:30 p.m.

How Much: Tickets are: $10/General Admission, $5/Student .

Tickets: Tickets can be purchased by calling 801-232-7521 or obtaining in person at the Waterford School one hour prior to show-time. Tickets can also be purchased from any SLCA choir member; or by visiting the website at www.saltlakechoralartists.org.

PIANIST JENSINA OLIVER IN RECITAL @ SUU (March 30)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/14/2012
Michael French
Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator
College of Performing and Visual Arts
Southern Utah University
Office: 435-865-8667
michaelfrench@suu.edu

Photo credit: Jensina Oliver. Courtesy of Jensina Oliver

FOR CALENDAR EDITORS: PIANIST JENSINA OLIVER IN RECITAL

WHAT:             Having won international acclaim for her expressive and passionate performances, pianist Jensina Oliver returns to Cedar City to perform a free recital for Southern Utah University’s Department of Music. Her program will include such popular favorites as Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag and George Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm and from the classic repertoire the First Movement of Sonata, Opus 22 by Alberto Ginastera.

WHO:               Southern Utah University, Department of Music

WHEN:             Friday, March 30, 2012

TIME:               7:30pm

WHERE:           Thorley Recital Hall, Music Building, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, UT

PRICING:          Free and the general public is invited to attend.

INFO:              www.suu.edu/arts or Arts Hotline: (435) 865-8800

SUU’S DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC PRESENTS

PIANIST JENSINA OLIVER IN RECITAL

MARCH 30, 2012

Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah: Having won international acclaim for her expressive and passionate performances, pianist Jensina Oliver returns to Cedar City to perform a free recital for Southern Utah University’s Department of Music. The concert will be held on Friday, March 30, 2012 at the intimate Thorley Recital Hall in SUU’s Music Building. Curtain time is 7:30pm. The recital is free and the general public is encouraged to attend.

Jensina Oliver will perform a diverse program including such popular favorites as Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag and George Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm and from the classic repertoire the First Movement of Sonata, Opus 22 by Alberto Ginastera. A highlight of the recital will be Ms. Oliver’s performance of the Second Movement of Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra, arranged for piano solo, music by SUU Music Chair, Dr. Keith Bradshaw. Ms. Oliver performed the piece in summer 2011 as part of the Hubei Opera and Dance Drama Theatre’s celebration of Helen Foster Snow in Wuhan, China.

Pianist Jensina Oliver (formerly Jensina Oliver Byington) has appeared as soloist and chamber musician in the United States, China, Canada, Europe, and Israel. Her performances with orchestra include appearances with the Hubei Provincial Orchestra of Wuhan, China, the Orchestra of Southern Utah, Utah Philharmonia, Intermountain Chamber Orchestra, University of Washington Symphony, and University of Utah Symphony Orchestra.  She was a national finalist of the 1995 MTNA Chamber Competition, was a resident artist at the Banff Chamber Music Festival in 2000, and has won several solo and concerto competitions throughout the United States.

Ms. Oliver has been praised by critics as “highly talented”, with a “steely-fingered” technique and a flair for “panache and drama.” (Salt Lake Tribune, 5/18/99)  “Byington’s command of dynamic phrasing infused each note with elegant intensity in slower passages; in virtuosic sections, she played with assuredness and authority.” (S.L. Trib. 11/17/97)  Ms. Oliver’s first CD, Jensina Byington Performs Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, and Rachmaninoff was released in 2009 and is available for purchase on CDBaby.com, as well as after the recital for a special post-concert sale price of $10 cash or check.  Ms. Oliver currently resides in Seattle, Washington where she is a well-known performer and teacher. 

Experience the dazzling artistry of Jensina Oliver. Don’t miss her recital in an intimate chamber setting.  For more information on the SUU College of Performing and Visual Arts events, please call the Arts Hotline at (435) 865-8800, or visit www.suu.edu/arts.

 ABOUT THE COLLEGE
The Southern Utah University College of Performing and Visual Arts is comprised of nationally accredited departments of Art and Design, Music, Theatre Arts and Dance, as well as a graduate program in Arts Administration. The College offers 16 different degree areas, including liberal arts Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees; professional Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts in art and theatre degrees; and a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration degree. More than 60 full- and part-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 550 majors in the College. Over 1100 students enroll each year in over 195 arts classes on the SUU campus. The College presents 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year. The College’s affiliate organizations include the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, American Folk Ballet, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and the SUU Ballroom Dance Company. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, contact the Office of the Dean at (435) 865-8561, or by e-mail at cpvamktg@suu.edu.

Laurel Casjens to Present "Cave of Forgotten Dreams: @ NHMU's Science Movie Night

UCA Board Member and Photographer Laurel Casjens will be the “local expert” featured in the Natural History Museum of Utah’s next Science Movie Night screening.  Following a viewing of “Cave of Forgotten Dreams,” Laurel will speak about the cave and rock art around Utah.  

April 10, 6:30pm at the City Library

Info on the film screening event:  http://nhmu.utah.edu/events/science-movie-night-cave-forgotten-dreams

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/naturalhistorymuseumofutah#!/events/356567757705380/ 

About "Cave of Dreams:"

Discovered in 1994, the Chauvet Cave in southern France contains pristine artwork dating back 30,000 years. Amid gleaming stalactites and stalagmites and a carpet of animal bones, beautiful images of horses and bison gallop alongside ghostly cave lions, cave bears and woolly mammoths. Legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog gained exclusive access to film inside the nearly inaccessible cave. Don’t miss this unique glimpse of the birth of art.

Following the film, photographer, museum curator, and archaeologist Dr. Laurel Casjens will explore Utah’s hauntingly beautiful rock art and how it helps connect us to the people who lived here long ago.

Director: Werner Herzog
Run time: 90 minutes
Not rated

Official Selection – 2010 Toronto International Film Festival; Official Selection – 2010 AFI Film Festival; Official Selection – 2010 DOC NYC; Winner, Best Nonfiction Film – New York Film Critics Circle Awards 2011, Winner, Best Documentary – Washington Film Critics Awards 2011

Science Movie Night is presented by the Natural History Museum of Utah in partnership with the Utah Film Center. For a listing of upcoming screenings, visitwww.nhmu.utah.edu/movie

JOB: Public Relations Internship @ Utah Symphony | Utah Opera

Public Relations Internship

Spring 2012 (with possible extension through the Summer season)

USUO is seeking a part-time Public Relations Intern to assist the Public Relations Manager with expanding media relations efforts and placement. Intern would be responsible for drafting press releases and PSAs, updating and managing media lists, assisting with content generation and coordination for patron relations project, conceptualizing and pitching unique story angles to the media and assisting the Marketing Department with any other projects as necessary. Hours are flexible and will be determined prior to the internship. Internship duration will also be determined based on mutual company and intern needs.

Ideal candidate should be a recent graduate or current student of Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing or Communications at an accredited university and have excellent writing skills and familiarity with journalistic AP Style. Experience writing news stories or marketing copy is a plus. Other important qualifications include an ability to meet deadlines, an assertive and creative work approach, excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, reliability and consistency. Candidate should understand the value of producing effective results over mere efficiency. Knowledge of classical music is also a plus. 

This position is unpaid, but can be taken for college credit. Other benefits include complimentary and discount tickets to performances, experience working in media relations and an increased understanding of arts marketing and promotions. 

Interested applicants should send a current resume, cover letter and writing samples to Hilarie Ashton, hashton@usuo.org, by March 29, 2012. 

Mountain West Arts Conference on May 3, 2012

**The body of this e-mail is also in the attachment**

For immediate release                Alyssa Hickman Grove, 801.533.5760

15 March 2012                           Constituent Relations & Media, Utah Arts & Museums

Geoffrey Fattah, 801.386.4755

Communications Director, Utah Dept. of Community and Culture

Mountain West Arts Conference on May 3, 2012

SALT LAKE CITY — One of the largest gatherings of the Utah arts community — including artists, administrators, educators, students, and supporters — will come together at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center on Thursday, May 3, 2012, for a day of networking, workshops, and performances at the 6^th annual Mountain West Arts Conference. Registration, $95, is now open at artsandmuseums.utah.gov and includes the Governor’s Leadership in the Arts Awards, presented by Governor Gary R. Herbert.

Keynote speaker Mary Helen Immordino-Yang will address the emotional origins of creativity. Immordino-Yang is an affective neuroscientist and human development psychologist who has studied the emotions we feel in social contexts and how they shape how we feel about ourselves, how we experience our own lives, and how we create art that reflects and represents these experiences.

The 2012 conference will feature workshops on more than a dozen topics, including fundraising, research and trends, artist opportunities, accessibility, and hands-on art sessions. In keeping with the keynote, several sessions will explore the unique relationship between science and art. Topics will range from what science teaches us about emotion and creativity, to how art is being used in strategic planning and conflict resolution, to how data are being used to measure the impact of the arts, to the artistic expression of scientific discovery.

Presenters and speakers with regional and national expertise will be on hand to share inspiration, including Bryce Merrill from the Western States Arts Federation, Utah’s Poet Laureate Katharine Coles, Robert McNulty from Partners for Livable Communities in Denver, and artist Jan Dworkin from Process Work in Portland. Performances will be given throughout the day from artists such as the University of Utah’s Crimson Harps and Aerial Artists of Utah.

“The Mountain West Arts Conference is an opportunity to gather, network, celebrate accomplishments, gain new skills, enjoy artistic experiences, and get up to speed on regional and national issues,” said Margaret Hunt, Director of Utah Arts & Museums. “Each year we look forward to it, and each year we gain new perspective and come away with renewed energy.”

The Governor’s Leadership in the Arts Awards honor educators, individuals, organizations, and municipalities that encourage and support arts and culture in Utah. More than 150 awards have been given since 1980. Table sponsorship opportunities are available; call Lynnette Hiskey at 801.236.7552 for details.

Registration is $95 for the full conference, including the Governor’s Leadership in the Arts Awards luncheon, or $55 for the luncheon alone. Register online at artsandmuseums.utah.gov. Group and student rates are available. Educators can receive points toward Utah Educator’s License recertification.

For more information, visit the Utah Arts & Museums Web site at artsandmuseums.utah.gov or phone 801.236.7555.

About Utah Arts & Museums

Utah Arts & Museums is a division of the Utah Department of Community and Culture with a goal to promote innovation in and the growth of Utah’s arts and culture community. The division provides funding, education, and technical services to individuals and organizations statewide so that all Utahns, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or economic status, can access, understand, and receive the benefits of arts and culture. Additional information on the programs and services can be found at www.artsandmuseums.utah.gov or by calling 801.236.7555.

Alyssa Hickman Grove

Constituent Relations & Media

Utah Arts & Museums

617 East South Temple

Salt Lake City, UT 84102

Phone: 801.533.5760

www.artsandmuseums.utah.gov

Sampler Package at Pygmalion, Plan B, and Meat & Potatoes

Pygmalion, Plan B and Meat & Potatoes offer you the opportunity to sample one show each of our seasons at the Rose Wagner for only $33 - a savings of 50% off the full ticket price!!!    IN THE NEXT ROOM (OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY) by Sarah Ruhl A comedy about marriage, intimacy and electricity. May 3-20, 2012 THE SCARLET LETTER world premiere adapted from Nathaniel Hawthorne by Jenifer Nii Taking branding to a whole new level. April 12-22, 2012  ALIENS: THE PUPPET MUSICAL world premiere by Tobin Atkinson, Rob Hartmann and Marynell Hinton In a world...where singing puppets can't hear you scream. May 24-June 10, 2012 Click here to order:

 http://www.planbtheatre.org/catalog.html?Iit=12&Ict=4

Webinar: From Reactionary to Anticipatory: Tips & Tools for (Effective) Local Arts Advocacy March 21

Are you and your organization prepared to be an effective arts advocate? Are you preparing for upcoming local budget discussions? 

Please join us on March 21 at 3:00 PM EDT for our webinar-From Reactionary to Anticipatory: Tips & Tools for (Effective) Local Arts Advocacy

As funding from local government sources becomes more competitive and less available you will need more tools and expertise to create effective local arts advocacy strategies. In this webinar, you will learn from some of the best arts advocates about how they developed their successful advocacy campaigns. Presenters include:

·         Ra Joy, Executive Director, Arts Alliance Illinois

·         Danielle Brazelle, Executive Director, Arts for LA

·         Jay Dick, Senior Director of State and Local Government Affairs, Americans for the Arts

·         Moderated by: Theresa Cameron, Americans for the Arts

Remember that all webinars are free to members or they can be purchased by non-members for $35 per session. Visit our webinar website to register and find out about upcoming sessions. Questions? Please e-mail tcameron@artsusa.org

RED BUTTE GARDEN CONCERT SERIES SNEAK PEEK (May 28 - Aug 26)

RED BUTTE GARDEN

CONCERT SERIES SNEAK PEEK

Thursday, March 15, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT. Red Butte Garden offers another preview of the 2012 Outdoor Concert Series!

Melissa Etheridge on June 13

The B-52s & Squeeze on July 2

Brandi Carlile on July 15

Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers, An Evening of Bluegrass & Comedy on July 19

Previously announced concerts:

The Shins with The Head and the Heart and Blind Pilot on May 28

Bon Iver on May 29

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals on July 20

Diana Krall on August 8

Huey Lewis & The News on August 26

Ticket Sales:

Partial Season Packages go on sale April 23 at 9 a.m.

Garden Member tickets go on sale April 30 at 9 a.m.

General Public Ticket sales begin May 7 at 9 a.m.

www.redbuttegarden.org <http://www.redbuttegarden.org>  

801-585-0556

300 Wakara Way, SLC, UT 84108

Red Butte Garden concert tickets are purchased online at www.redbuttegarden.org <http://www.redbuttegarden.org> , via phone (801) 585-0556 or in person at the Garden Visitor Center located at 300 Wakara Way, SLC, UT 84103. 

The discount members receive on concert tickets makes getting an annual garden membership a deal: Garden members get $5 off each concert ticket.  Memberships begin at $35.  After purchasing two tickets to four shows you’ve benefited from the cost of the membership and still enjoy a year worth of Garden access including Monday Family Nights and admission to 200 nation-wide botanical gardens, plus discounts on summer camps, classes and at local retail and the Garden gift shop. Join Red Butte Garden today online at www.redbuttegarden.org <http://www.redbuttegarden.org>  <http://www.redbuttegarden.org <http://www.redbuttegarden.org/> >  or by calling the Garden at 801-585-0556.

###

CONTACT:

GARDEN: BRYN RAMJOUE’ Communications Director, 801-581-4938

CONCERTS: DERREK HANSON Director Visitor Services. 801-585-5225

Piano & Strings: Mon. Mar. 26; Brass & Woodwinds: Tue. Mar. 27 @ SUU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/15/12

Michael French        
Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator
College of Performing and Visual Arts
Southern Utah University
Office: 435-865-8667
michaelfrench@suu.edu

FOR CALENDAR EDITORS: SUU’S MUSIC ENSEMBLES SPRING 2012

WHAT:              From the glorious sounds of strings to the rousing blast of brass, Southern Utah University’s Department of Music offers two entertaining free concerts showcasing its students. On Monday, March 26^th, the Piano and Strings Ensembles perform, followed by the Brass and Woodwind Ensembles on Tuesday, March 27^th.

WHO:               Southern Utah University, Department of Music

WHEN:             Piano & Strings: Mon. Mar. 26; Brass & Woodwinds: Tue. Mar. 27

TIME:               7:30pm

WHERE:           Thorley Recital Hall, Music Building, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, UT.

TICKETS:         Call (435)-586-7872 M-F 8am-4:30pm, Online at www.suu.edu/arts or purchase at the door.

PRICES:           Free and the public is encouraged to attend.

MUSIC ENSEMBLES BLOSSOM IN SPRING 2012

AT SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY

Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah: To clear away the winter doldrums, Southern Utah University’s Department of Music offers two entertaining free student concerts in March. On Monday, March 26th, the Piano and Spring Ensembles perform, followed by the Brass and Woodwind Ensembles on Tuesday, March 27^th. All performances take place at Thorley Recital Hall in SUU’s Music Building. They begin at 7:30pm and are free and open to the public.

Associate Professor Xun Sun leads the String Ensemble and their program will include selections from The Gordian Knot Untied by Henry Purcell, Piano Quintet in G Minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sinfonia Alla Rustica by Antonio Vivaldi and Capriol by Peter Warlock. Leading the Piano Ensemble is Dr. Christian Bohnenstengel. His students will perform such works as Pomp and Circumstance by Edward Elgar, Textures by Robert D. Vandall, Fêtes by Claude Debussy, A Patriotic Medley arranged by Phyllis Gunther, and Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa.

For the Woodwind and Brass Ensembles, the Woodwind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Virginia Stitt, will perform Mozart’s Divertimento No. 4, K. 438d, Presto by Franz Joseph Haydn, Musette by Jean-Marie Leclair, Two Canons Played in Colonial America arranged by J. Gibson, Invention in D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach, and Pantalon by Amy Beach. The evening will also include a performance by the Brass Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Douglas Harris.

Don’t miss these exceptional evenings of music. For more information on the SUU College of Performing and Visual Arts events, please call the Arts Hotline at (435) 865-8800, or visit www.suu.edu/arts.

 ABOUT THE COLLEGE
The Southern Utah University College of Performing and Visual Arts is comprised of nationally accredited departments of Art and Design, Music, Theatre Arts and Dance, as well as a graduate program in Arts Administration. The College offers 16 different degree areas, including liberal arts Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees; professional Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts in art and theatre degrees; and a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration degree. More than 60 full- and part-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 550 majors in the College. Over 1100 students enroll each year in over 195 arts classes on the SUU campus. The College presents 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year. The College’s affiliate organizations include the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, American Folk Ballet, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and the SUU Ballroom Dance Company. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, contact the Office of the Dean at (435) 865-8561, or by e-mail at cpvamktg@suu.edu.

UTAH OPERA PRESENTS ELEVENTH ANNUAL CHILDREN’S OPERA SHOWCASE: March 28 (SLC)

Media Contact:

Hilarie Ashton | Public Relations Manager

hashton@usuo.org | (801)869-9027

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 15, 2012

UTAH OPERA PRESENTS ELEVENTH ANNUAL CHILDREN’S OPERA SHOWCASE

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Opera will give local elementary school students a chance to take the spotlight in the eleventh annual Children’s Opera Showcase, Wednesday, March 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Jeanné Wagner Theatre of the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center (138 West 300 South). 

Participating classes will present an original opera created, produced and presented by students and their teachers with the assistance of a local composer provided by Utah Opera. Teachers also attended a summer training program with Utah Opera to help guide them in the management of these class projects throughout the school year. Now, the children will become the stars of the show, singing their own operas with their own sets and costumes.

           

The evening of March 28 will include three pint-sized operas:  first up will be Suzanne Parry’s first-grade class from Dilworth Elementary, with their opera titled “The Vikings and the Trolls.” Local composer David Naylor helped the children create their own melodies for this opera whose cast list includes vikings, mermaids, starving trolls, dragons.  The story includes trickery and greed, but in the end these different creatures learn how to be friends.

           

The Showcase’s second opera, which will begin at approximately 7 p.m., comes from Pieter Lingen’s 4^th grade class at Highland Park Elementary, with mentor composer help from music specialist Jennifer Purdy.  Their opera, titled “Belling the Cat,” was created by the group after a study of Aesop’s Fables. The students imitated the fables in giving a moral to their opera: “even small mice can have big brains and solve big problems.”

The final opera of the evening will star the entire third grade from Bonneville Elementary, in a project led by teacher Cindy Norton and composer Masa Fukuda.  The opera has four scenes, which each support the “Go Green” theme.  The students plan to inspire the audience with ideas about ways to reduce, reuse, recycle and implement sustainable energy resources.

           

In addition to these three operas featured in the official Showcase, Utah Opera is also taking the opportunity at this venue to allow a fourth elementary school to rehearse and perform a re-mounting of an opera written by classes at the school in the past with composer Michelle Willis.  Providence Hall 3^rd graders, led by teacher Erica Nuttall, will perform their version of “A Rockin’ Opera,” which features a journey to the center of the earth to learn all about rocks, in a special 5 p.m. performance.  The public is also invited to attend this event.

Utah Opera’s teacher training program and the Children’s Opera Showcase have received financial assistance from the Art Works for Kids Foundation, the Salt Lake City Arts Council and the McCarthey Family Foundation.

Admission to this event is free, but seating is limited. The Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center is located at 138 West 300 South in Salt Lake City.

Press photos for this event are available by contacting Hilarie Ashton.

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Hilarie Ashton

Public Relations Manager
801.869.9027 office

801.335.9387 cell

INTERVIEW AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITY, March 27 and 28 ARTbytes Community: Arts Education Project in Public Libraries

Contact: Danica Farley| danica.farley@utahmoca.org | 801.328.4201 x 115

www.utahmoca.org | 20 S West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

MEDIA ADVISORY: INTERVIEW AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITY, March 27 and 28

ARTbytes Community: Arts Education Project in Public Libraries

Salt Lake City, UT- ARTbytes Community (a collaborative program between the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA) and Neighborhood House) teaches contemporary art making for 3rd - 6th grade youth. The final project of the season will include a performance piece on March 27, 4-5 p.m. at the Main Library and again on March 28, 4-5 p.m. at the Chapman Library. Media is invited for photo and interview opportunities.

On March 27 and 28, after engaging in a series of workshops focusing on the role of language and text in contemporary art, students will hide messages (positive salutations, compliments, hopes or wishes, etc.) they have written within the pages of books throughout the Main and Chapman libraries. The final project has focused on literacy, increased engagement with community, civic responsibility and positive self-esteem building. 

This type of practice links with relational artworks that consider human engagement and social contexts. “Each child is essentially being asked to create a message in a bottle of sorts where library patrons will find these works at a later date within books, creating a serendipitous happenstance,” said Felicia Baca, curator of education, UMOCA.

ARTbytes Community is a long-term, intensive visual arts education program. At-risk youth participate in weekly arts education classes with the goal of not only engaging with contemporary art, but increasing social and emotional skills, community engagement and critical and creative thinking skills necessary to become our community’s future leaders.

About Neighborhood House

Neighborhood House is Salt Lake City’s only private, not-for-profit adult and child day care that offers services based on clients’ ability to pay. Neighborhood House’s history hearkens back to the days when Utah was still just a territory. Emma McVicker, a former teacher in the Presbyterian schools, observed the needs of Salt Lake’s disadvantaged families and created an organization that was then known as the Free Kindergarten Association which was “to provide instruction for underprivileged children commensurate with that given in more favored districts; to come into closer touch with parents in poorly regulated homes; to raise standards of living; and to provide, when necessary, food and clothing.” Into its second century of service, Neighborhood House continues to meet these ideals by providing high quality child care with preschool and afterschool programs that prepare children for success in school, provide an opportunity to make friends and explore their interests. Neighborhood House also provides an adult day care service for nonaggressive adults that cannot be left alone during the day. Adult clients benefit from creative activities in a productive setting that help them to maintain their independence. Neighborhood House is proud to have served its community for 118 years.

About UMOCA
Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (formerly Salt Lake Art Center) was recognized as Best Museum in the State of Utah for 2011. Founded in 1931 and now located in the heart of Salt Lake City, UMOCA exhibits groundbreaking work by leading local and international artists. UMOCA is currently exhibiting 2012 Sundance Film Festival New Frontier, FAX and Onomatopoeia by Constant Dullaart. Coming up in June is Play Me I’m Yours, inviting people to show off their piano skills on street corners around downtown. UMOCA also offers a lively mix of award-winning educational programs, film screenings, panel discussions and events celebrating Salt Lake’s vibrant local art scene.

UMOCA is located at 20 S. West Temple and is open Tuesday-Thursday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Friday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday. Admission is free. For more information call (801) 328-4201 or visit www.utahmoca.org.

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Danica Farley | Director of Communications | Utah Museum of Contemporary Art | 20 S. West Temple | Salt Lake City, UT 84101 | 801.328.4201 ext. 115