SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Arts Alliance is getting creative for the ten year anniversary of the Urban Arts Festival.
Because of COVID, they’ve had to pivot and come up with new elements to keep the festival going.
This year the festival is called Urban Arts Fest Elements, and the exhibits will be all month long in September.
“ It’s a month long series of exhibits and events that are bite-size pieces of urban arts festival that people can experience throughout the month of September in a safe fun sort of way,” said Derek Dyer, the Executive Director of Utah Arts Alliance.
Normally the festival is one weekend but to avoid large crowds, this year it’ll run all September.
“The elements I think are a fun way to break it up so that you have the social distancing and you can still have that connection with culture and enjoying these things that we normally get so excited for every summer,” said Jacklyn Briggs, Marketing Director at the Gateway.
The elements include a live painting exhibition and art and craft market, hard n paint street basketball, lowrider custom car culture exhibit, a night market, the annual skate deck challenge as well as art displays in store windows.
“We just want the public to be able to come and connect with art and artist I think everyone is seeking that connection right now,” said Dyer.
It’s a way for people to connect with the community and experience the culture of Salt Lake all while social distancing.
“I think that this is a wonderful alternative to still be able to go outside, enjoy something with your friends and family, with your mask, safely and responsibly and we’re gonna make that very easy for people,” said Briggs.
Both Derek and Jacklyn say it took a lot of creative effort to come up with elements and they hope everyone enjoys the exhibits as much as they do.
"I Encourage everyone to come out and enjoy the festival with your friends and family throughout the whole month of September and just come down and have fun and bring some art into your life,” said Dyer.
The events are as listed:
- September 5th 10 AM to 2 PM live painting exhibition and art and craft market.
- September 6th noon to 4 PM hard N paint street basketball
- September 6th noon to 4 PM Lowrider custom car culture exhibit
- September 18th 5 to 10 PM night market.
- September, all month- urban arts festival artist retrospective
- September, all month- 10th annual skate deck challenge
For more information, click here.
