The Salt Lake City Arts Council has been approved for a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The festival is among 1,248 projects across America totaling $28,840,000 that were selected to receive this first round of Grants for Arts Projects funding and is one of only seven projects funded in Utah.
With these funds, and generous support from other local funders, the Living Traditions Festival is also pleased to announce a return to Washington Square and Library Square in a three-day festival format from May 20 – May 22. This comes after two years of modified or cancelled festival operations due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support arts projects like this one from the Salt Lake City Arts Council that help support the community’s creative economy,” said NEA Acting Chair Ann Eilers. “The Salt Lake City Arts Council is among the arts organizations nationwide that are using the arts as a source of strength, a path to well-being, and providing access and opportunity for people to connect and find joy through the arts.”
“We are thrilled to accept this grant award from the National Endowment for the Arts in support of our beloved Living Traditions Festival,” said Executive Director of the Arts Council Felicia Baca. “After two years of modified or canceled operations, we are returning to the heart of Salt Lake City, ready to welcome excited festival goers. The pandemic has highlighted our mission to share our collective humanity, reflect critically on our varied cultures, contribute to the recovery of our creative economy, and most importantly come together to celebrate the incredible communities that make Salt Lake City such a special place to live, work, and play.”
The Living Traditions Festival supports diverse artistic perspectives and fosters the preservation of both historical and contemporary traditions through the presentation of dance, music, craft, food, and conversation by facilitating thoughtful experiences around the unique qualities of various cultures, and the similarities of the human experience, while creating bonds among community members.
For more information on the Living Traditions Festival, or for more information on how to participate in the festival, please contact Dawn Borchardt, Arts Program Coordinator, at Dawn.Borchardt@slcgov.com or visit https://saltlakearts.org/livingtraditionspresents/festival/.
The Living Traditions Festival is a program of the Salt Lake City Arts Council.