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 Utah Cultural Center Case Statement
The Utah Cultural Center is a joint venture of the Utah Arts Council, Utah State Archives, and the Utah State Historical Society. These state agencies are dedicated to increasing an appreciation and understanding of the story of Utah through collection, preservation and education.
The Utah Arts Council promotes Utah art and artistic endeavors; it collects and preserves a fine art collection going back to the 19th Century, including a collection of folk art and public art.
Utah State Archives is responsible for the management and care of government records; some of its permanent holdings date to the days when Utah was a Territory.
The Utah State Historical Society promotes an understanding of Utah history and prehistory and maintains a collection of historical artifacts, photographs and documents.
Our responsibility to Utah citizens
A critical responsibility of the Utah Cultural Center (UCC) will be collecting, conserving and exhibiting the collections of each of the three agencies. Though the collections have monetary value, more importantly they are invaluable and irreplaceable cultural resources. Today, there are major challenges to preserving the collections and taking full advantage of them as educational, cultural and academic resources. These include grossly inadequate storage, display and research areas. Treasures belonging to the people of the state are severely underutilized and some are in danger of damage due to the cramped and unsuitable conditions in which they are stored.
The Current Situation
The staffs and collections of the three agencies are now scattered among six buildings. One building (Archives) is scheduled to be demolished as part of the Capitol Renovation Project. The state must relocate Archives, and to relocate that agency with Arts and History makes excellent sense for the taxpayers of Utah.
Our Vision
An Educational Resource, An Engine for Ideas
The Utah Cultural Center will house these agencies and their collections. It will combine services and resources. It will provide a public venue to exhibit "The Story of Utah." Utah´s story is unique in American History; it is a story of change, adaptation and accommodation, challenges and failures, persistence and triumphs. Each of these themes is a critical component of American history and culture. The UCC will be a valuable addition to Utah's existing historical and archival resources.
The UCC will be a place for continuing discussion, study and development of ideas about Utah's people, heritage, values and future. It will be a place where families, school children, educators, researchers and out-of-state visitors can learn about Utah through exhibits, conferences, workshops, displays, publication and electronic media.
Feasibility
A feasibility study conducted by Ketchum, Inc. indicated broad support for the cultural center and the potential for significant support of a major financial campaign. The UCC is a registered 501(3)(c) corporation with a growing board and adequate seed funding. Mr. Scott Anderson chairs the board; the first full board meeting will be held October 2001.
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