The “Art Bill” that was created in 1899 by the legislature established the first state funded arts council in the nation. The original law stated that its purpose was to advance the interest of fine arts, to develop the influence of art in education, to sponsor an annual art exhibition, establish a state art collection and present public lectures on art. The State Fine Art Collection has grown annually by purchases and donations and as a whole, provides an impressive documentation of the history of Utah art. The collection is on display in the Governor’s Mansion, the Glendinning Home, the State Capitol building, the Scott Matheson Courthouse, and in various state buildings. Selections from the collection are included the Traveling Exhibition Program bringing artwork to viewers throughout the state.
Utah’s state-owned art collection began in 1899. Alice Merrill Horne was a candidate for the state legislature on a platform of support for the arts. Once she was elected to the House of Representatives she sponsored a bill to create a state arts organization and to establish a state collection of artwork. In honor of that sponsor, the collection was named the “Alice Art Collection.” The continued acquisition of artwork by Utah artists comes from purchases selected by the Collection Acquisition Committee and generous donations from patrons and artists.
The Alice Gallery, located in the Glendinning Home and main offices of the Division of Arts and Museums, features selections from the State Fine Art Collection.
The Rio Gallery in the historic Rio Grande building sponsors the statewide annual exhibition, the fellowship exhibition, the Design Arts exhibition, and visual artist group exhibitions.
Traveling exhibitions are a collaborative partnership with Utah museums, colleges, university and community galleries, arts and cultural centers, libraries and schools. By traveling these exhibits around the State and the use of the accompanying educational materials, they provide public access to quality visual arts, nurture understanding of diverse art forms and cultures, and promote creativity and encourage cultural activities in local communities. Exhibits are available to schools, colleges, museums, libraries, as well as community and cultural centers in the State of Utah.
Be a part of the newest traveling exhibition being curated: Future Monets, Manets and Mary Cassats
American Masterpieces
The Early Utah Masterpieces project features twenty six paintings from the State Fine Art Collection for a traveling exhibit. The paintings were reproduced in the giclee process to ensure the preservation of the valuable paintings by early Utah masters. An educational booklet with biographies of the artists and a children’s booklet of original watercolors based on the life of Alice Merrill Horne was produced and accompanies the exhibit to the various exhibition sites. Greeting cards, scarves and ties are also available.
Design arts is dedicated to the promotion of excellence in the diverse fields of design in Utah. We strive to help the citizens of the State see, experience, use and value the art of design that surrounds us.
Statewide Annual Competition and Exhibition
The Statewide Annual Competition and Exhibition provides exposure to both new and established Utah artists through public display, publicity and publication of catalogues. Each year a cycle of exhibition is decided upon, each focusing a group of different disciplines: painting and sculpture, fine crafts and photography, and mixed media and works on paper.
Visual Artists Fellowship Competition and Exhibition
The Visual Arts Fellowship Competition and Exhibition awards two fellowships annually to outstanding professional artists to acknowledge their artistic excellence and encourage their careers. An exhibition of four recipients is held every other year in the Rio Gallery accompanied by brochures featuring their artwork, artists’ statements and the jurors’ statements.
Find out about local, regional, national and international calls for public arts commissions. You can also search for public art in your community by visiting the public art collection.
Quarterly seminars are presented on portfolio preparation, photographing your artwork, gallery representation, art festival applications, resume and artist statement writing, and copyright issues.
Artists Resource Center
The Artist Resource Center is a FREE library and learning center where artists can come to research funding and competitions, learn how to promote their work, gain visibility, and develop professionally and artistically. Please call ahead for an appointment.
Online Resources
Visit the toolkits and links area of our site for links to resources for visual artists.
NowPlayingUtah.com lists local, state and national artist opportunities.