CCE Establishes Programs, Works With Partners, And Supports Our Divisions As They Work With Hundreds Of Individuals Each Year. Together, We Host A Variety Of Youth Programs, Award Grants To Vitalize Our Communities, Support Artists, And Promote Equity.
More Than A Flag
Designing a new state flag offers Utahns the chance to talk about who we are now. It’s a chance to talk about the symbols and colors that represent our shared identity. Together, we can design a 21st-century flag to represent a 21st-century state.
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The Museum of Utah
The Museum of Utah will exhibit Utah’s vast collection of historic artifacts, letters, photographs, manuscripts, and fine art that bring Utah’s memory and meaning to life.
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HIGHLAND OFFICE
3760 S. Highland Dr
Millcreek, UT 84106
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Toll-free: 1-877-488-3233
Phone: 801-245-7202
Fax: 801-521-4727
Fraud Hotline: 801-245-7216
“ARTS AND CULTURE ARE CONSTANT SOURCES OF ECONOMIC GROWTH DURING BOTH GOOD AND DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES. SPECIFICALLY, ARTS AND CULTURE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS INCREASE THE ECONOMY IN STATES BY ATTRACTING BUSINESSES, CREATING NEW JOBS, INCREASING TAX REVENUES, AND PROMOTING TOURISM.”
National Conference of State Legislatures
Students From Low-Income Families Who Take Part In Arts Activities At School Are Three Times More Likely To Get A Degree.
Read The Research
Students From Low-Income Families Who Take Part In Arts Activities At School Are Three Times More Likely To Get A Degree.
Read The Research
Students From Low-Income Families Who Take Part In Arts Activities At School Are Three Times More Likely To Get A Degree.
Read The Research
COMMISSION INFORMATION
Utah Has One Of The Highest Literacy Rates In The Country. Research Shows That Programs Sponsored By CCE Support This.
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A MOVEMENT
Main Street America has helped revitalize older and historic commercial districts for 35+ years. It is the leading voice for preservation-based economic development and community revitalization across the country. The program works with small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts to breathe new life into neighborhoods.
A MARK OF DISTINCTION
Participating programs, organizations, and communities are part of a national movement with a proven track record for celebrating community character, preserving local history, and generating impressive economic returns. Since 1980, over 2,000 communities have participated, bringing renewed energy and activity to America’s downtowns and commercial districts, securing $61 billion in new investment, creating more than 525,000 net new jobs, and rehabilitating 251,000 buildings.
A TIME-TESTED STRATEGY
The Main Street Approach includes broad-based community engagement, a holistic understanding of the factors that impact the quality of life, and a strategic focus on the core principles of downtown and neighborhood revitalization, including economic vitality, quality design, effective promotion, and sustainable organization.
BOXING, KICKBOXING & MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
PSUAC is proud to support events and athletes of major unarmed combat sports.
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Featured Stories
Circles of Life
June 7, 2021
Circles of Life
June 7, 2021
Circles of Life
June 7, 2021
MUSE DIGITAL MAGAZINES
RECENT POSTS
The Legacy of Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Fort
October 21, 2022
The Legacy of Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Fort
October 21, 2022
The Legacy of Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Fort
October 21, 2022
ABOUT CCE
The Department of Cultural and Community Engagement is currently undergoing a strategic planning process. The resulting plan will outline the “why” of what we do and our commitment to our constituents and communities. It will guide the vision, mission, and objectives of the department over the next five years
The Department of Cultural & Community Engagement has a holistic understanding of the impacts of culture, service, and diversity on our state. With these insights, we cultivate the state’s civic engagement and boost local economies through the lens of art, and humanities.
CONTEMPORARY PEOPLE AND STORIES
Thrive125 presents a series of experiences focused on Utah arts, culture, and creativity.
UTAH @ 125
Be inspired by new literary work as writers consider their relationship with Utah.
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UTAH @ 125
Be inspired by new literary work as writers consider their relationship with Utah.
Learn More
UTAH @ 125
Be inspired by new literary work as writers consider their relationship with Utah.
Learn More
The Utah Main Street Program helps communities revitalize their economy, appearance, and image of downtown commercial districts. They do this by building a strategy centered around a community’s unique heritage and attributes that make it a great place to live and visit. The program provides a framework and resources to support a community’s downtown
The Utah Main Street Program is about:
Revitalization — giving new life to particular areas of a community
Revitalization — giving new life to particular areas of a community
Revitalization — giving new life to particular areas of a community
Revitalization — giving new life to particular areas of a community
Revitalization — giving new life to particular areas of a community
Revitalization — giving new life to particular areas of a community
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Jill Remington Love
Executive Director
801-245-7202
Jill Remington Love
Executive Director
801-245-7202
Trestle Work and Engine No. 2 by the Union Pacific, on the Eastern Approach to the Promontory Summit
Photograph, 1869
Andrew Joseph Russell, American, 1829–1902
Much of the engineering know-how used on the Transcontinental Railroad was developed during the American Civil War, including railroad construction and bridge building. This improved engineering was best illustrated in Utah during the last days leading up to the wedding of the rails.
In the final months before May 10, 1869, both the Central Pacific and Union Pacific were grading and laying track, often within throwing distance of each other, both vying for the same federal certification that brought large sums of borrowed federal funds and land grants. The Union Pacific built this trestle in 36 days, finishing it five days before the May 10th ceremony. What is not shown in this photograph is the Central Pacific's competing "Big [earthen] Fill" roadbed which was built 70 feet high and 500 feet across, 200 yards away, over the same ravine
Image courtesy of the Union Pacific Railroad Museum
Utah Arts & Museums seeks to advance the quality of life for all through arts experiences and cultural opportunities. The division provides more than 500 outreach services, including arts education, professional development, exhibitions, community outreach, and direct matching grants to schools, local arts agencies, organizations, community centers, performing groups, museums, and individuals across Utah.
The Utah State Library works to develop, advance, and promote library services and equal access to information and library resources to all Utah residents.
The Utah State Library works to develop, advance, and promote library services and equal access to information and library resources to all Utah residents.
MUSE
INSPIRED BY UTAH
Fall 2020 | THE CREATIVE PIVOT ISSUE
Artists create, pandemic or protests or not. And even before Utah’s theaters and museums and concert halls reopened, the creative sector was already reinventing itself. While still in the middle of everything, creators revealed how they’re refocusing while finding new ways to reach audiences. Of course, the work of pivoting isn’t finished — perhaps barely begun — but these stories underscore the creativity of the state’s creative landscape.
STAY INSPIRED AND INFORMED
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BENEFICIARIES
Businesses, residents, and governments benefit from the Main Street program, with increased revenues, goods, and services. Resident amenities also serve tourists. One of the greatest strengths of the Main Street program is its multi-disciplinary approach — its economic development, tourism, community development, heritage and culture, transportation and preservation, and more.
- Property ownersGrowth of rental income; increase in property values; safer environment
- Property ownersGrowth of rental income; increase in property values; safer environment
- Property ownersGrowth of rental income; increase in property values; safer environment
- Property ownersGrowth of rental income; increase in property values; safer environment
- Local governmentIncreased property tax revenues; stronger civic engagement
- Property ownersGrowth of rental income; increase in property values; safer environment
- Property ownersGrowth of rental income; increase in property values; safer environment
- Property ownersGrowth of rental income; increase in property values; safer environment
- Financial institutionsSafer investments; CRA compliance; more/larger commercial deposits
- Property ownersGrowth of rental income; increase in property values; safer environment
- Property ownersGrowth of rental income; increase in property values; safer environment
- Property ownersGrowth of rental income; increase in property values; safer environment
ABOUT CCE
The Department of Cultural and Community Engagement is currently undergoing a strategic planning process. The resulting plan will outline the “why” of what we do and our commitment to our constituents and communities. It will guide the vision, mission, and objectives of the department over the next five years
The Department of Cultural & Community Engagement has a holistic understanding of the impacts of culture, service, and diversity on our state. With these insights, we cultivate the state’s civic engagement and boost local economies through the lens of art, and humanities.
UTAH MAIN STREET PROGRAM ADVISORY COUNCIL
UTAH MAIN STREET PROGRAM ADVISORY COUNCIL
The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity is home to the Utah Main Street Program and administers training, consultation, and grant funding for communities with a Main Street designation. The Utah Main Street Program Advisory Committee provides support for the program. Membership on the Advisory Committee includes:
- 1.A representative of the Office of Economic Opportunity who provides administrative oversight of the program
- 2.A representative of the Utah Office of Tourism
- 3.A representative of the Department of Cultural & Community Engagement
- 4.This is a list, which styles each “List Item” individually (unlike utilizing a Looper as with some of our other list Elements).
- 5.This is a list, which styles each “List Item” individually (unlike utilizing a Looper as with some of our other list Elements).
TESTIMONIALS
“Utah has deep roots in the entertainment industry, with thousands of productions filmed across the state of Utah since the 1930s. Whatever the story, it can be told in Utah’s desert lands, mountain grandeur, small towns, and urban cities. With over 84,000 square miles of diverse and cinematic landscapes, Utah’s historical buildings and landmarks are unique assets that attract filmmakers to our state for film production. Productions filmed in the state have both a creative and an economic impact by supporting small businesses creating new jobs and encouraging new visitors to see where their favorite films were shot.”
Virginia Pearce Director Utah Film Commission
“Brigham City has long been recognized for its wonderful Main Street. We are excited and honored that Brigham City has been chosen as a pilot community for the Utah Main Street Program. The Main Street Program has demonstrated its effectiveness throughout the United States. As a community-driven and holistic approach to downtown revitalization, and not simply a silver bullet approach, I believe that the Main Street Program will be of tremendous benefit for our beautiful town.”
Tyler M. Vincent Mayor Brigham City
ABOUT CCE
The Department of Cultural and Community Engagement is currently undergoing a strategic planning process. The resulting plan will outline the “why” of what we do and our commitment to our constituents and communities. It will guide the vision, mission, and objectives of the department over the next five years
The Department of Cultural & Community Engagement has a holistic understanding of the impacts of culture, service, and diversity on our state. With these insights, we cultivate the state’s civic engagement and boost local economies through the lens of art, and humanities.
Learn More
VISION
Thanks to the vision and support of Governor Spencer Cox and the Utah State Legislature, Utah’s vast collection of artifacts and art will be protected and shared in a new museum on the Utah State Capitol Complex. Planning has begun for this new building that will include collections storage, exhibition, education and gathering spaces.
> Learn More
MISSION
The Museum of Utah honors the past and inspires the future by sharing the state’s unique history, culture, and art.
THREE OF THE MOST RECENT EPISODES
Historical Struggles for Water:
October 21, 2022
Director and Senior Advisor Spotlight | Nubia Peña: Leading for “One Utah”
October 10, 2022
Magnify Utah Project Featured on
August 24, 2022
WHY BUILD A RAILROAD ACROSS 1,900 MILES OF LAND?
Building the Transcontinental Railroad transformed many aspects of life in the United States. A rail line spanning the continent facilitated commerce and westward expansion, fulfilling the then-popular notion of Manifest Destiny, or the belief that Anglo-Americans had the God-given right to expand west.
The Transcontinental Railroad was an engineering feat that has had long-lasting impact on how we live our lives today. Expansion of the railroad enabled changes—among them shortened travel times, direct access to Asian markets, and the ability to expand the military into the West—that would have been unimaginable at the time to some.
Exhibition Audio Tour
Commemorating a Wedding
A Beginning
American Indians And The Transcontinental Railroad
The Logistics of a Monumental Act
A Vision Realized
BUILDING THE CENTRAL PACIFIC AND UNION PACIFIC RAILROADS HARMED AND DISPLACED SCORES OF AMERICAN INDIAN TRIBES, INCLUDING THE CHEYENNE, SIOUX, ARAPAHO, SHOSHONE, AND PAIUTE, BY ALTERING NATURAL RESOURCES OR TAKING NATIVE LANDS.
American Indians mostly resisted the railroad’s construction to defend their independence and way of life. There were, however, tribes who worked on or offered support for its construction, including the Paiute for the Central Pacific and the Pawnee for the Union Pacific.
“Utah has deep roots in the entertainment industry, with thousands of productions filmed across the state of Utah since the 1930s. Whatever the story, it can be told in Utah’s desert lands, mountain grandeur, small towns, and urban cities. With over 84,000 square miles of diverse and cinematic landscapes, Utah’s historical buildings and landmarks are unique assets that attract filmmakers to our state for film production. Productions filmed in the state have both a creative and an economic impact by supporting small businesses creating new jobs and encouraging new visitors to see where their favorite films were shot.”
“Utah has deep roots in the entertainment industry, with thousands of productions filmed across the state of Utah since the 1930s. Whatever the story, it can be told in Utah’s desert lands, mountain grandeur, small towns, and urban cities. With over 84,000 square miles of diverse and cinematic landscapes, Utah’s historical buildings and landmarks are unique assets that attract filmmakers to our state for film production. Productions filmed in the state have both a creative and an economic impact by supporting small businesses creating new jobs and encouraging new visitors to see where their favorite films were shot.”
Great Event Poster
Photograph, 1869 Andrew Joseph Russell, American, 1829–1902
Courtesy of the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University
The Rival Monarchs
Photograph, 1869 Alfred A. Hart, American, 1816–1908
General view at Promontory, Utah on May 10, 1869, during the "Last Spike" ceremony when the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific were joined. The picture is taken from the Union Pacific locomotive #119, looking westward, and shows the four companies of the 21st Infantry in formation alongside the track. Central Pacific's locomotive, Jupiter, and tent buildings of Promontory are also shown.
Courtesy of Utah State Historical Society
WHY BUILD A RAILROAD ACROSS 1,900 MILES OF LAND?
Building the Transcontinental Railroad transformed many aspects of life in the United States. A rail line spanning the continent facilitated commerce and westward expansion, fulfilling the then-popular notion of Manifest Destiny, or the belief that Anglo-Americans had the God-given right to expand west.
The Transcontinental Railroad was an engineering feat that has had long-lasting impact on how we live our lives today. Expansion of the railroad enabled changes—among them shortened travel times, direct access to Asian markets, and the ability to expand the military into the West—that would have been unimaginable at the time to some.
AN UNEXPECTED WINDFALL FUNDS THE UTAH STATE CAPITOL
Harriman’s death in 1909 came during the national Progressive Movement (1890-1920), a reaction to the country’s dismal public health conditions, rampant political and corporate corruption, and deepening economic chasm between the very rich and the struggling majority middle class.
Utah’s 1901 Inheritance Tax was a product of this movement. As Utah Attorney General Albert R. Barnes reviewed the results of the tax, he noticed a lack of enforcement for non-resident estates holding stocks issued by companies incorporated in Utah. Barnes learned New York state had received inheritance tax from Harriman’s estate for stocks held in New York companies. He reasoned Harriman’s stock in the Union Pacific, incorporated in Utah, should be subject to Utah’s Inheritance Tax law. For a year, Barnes pressed Harriman’s estate to comply with the law. Finally, on March 6, 1911, Harriman’s estate issued a check to the State of Utah for $798,536.85, or five percent of the Union Pacific’s estimated stock value of more than $15 million.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Council House 1849-1883
Utah Territorial Capitol in Fillmore 1855-57
Salt Lake City Hall 1866-1894
alt Lake City & County Building 1894-1916
WHO BUILT THE RAILROAD?
Irish Immigrants
10000
CHINESE IMMIGRANTS
15000
MORMON WORKERS
4000
CIVIL WAR VETERANS
2000
Immigrant groups, predominantly the Chinese and Irish provided labor for grading and for laying track and ties. A small number of Civil War veterans and others also assisted. A contingent of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints performed grading as the railroad neared the Utah Territory. The labor was difficult and dangerous; workers, particularly the Chinese and Irish laborers, faced back-breaking work, exhaustion, and at times death. The first transcontinental railroad was completed through their tireless efforts.
Image 56: Greek Orthodox Pentecost Monday parade, Main Street, between 200 and 300 South, Salt Lake City; June 15, 1908; Helen Z. Papanikolas Collection, Utah State Historical Society.
“Spirit Monday” marking the end of Easter, this day was, and continues today to be, a national Greek holiday where Greek owned businesses and schools close to celebrate. Patriotic rallies and parades such as this one were held in Salt Lake City, Bingham and other Utah towns with Greek communities. This float was sponsored by the Order of United Commercial Travelers (established 1888), a benevolent society for traveling salesman and commercial travelers. The float was pulled by four white horses and ridden by men in traditional Greek clothing, including a Farion or fez with a long black tassel, Donglamus or white tunic uniforms and baggy white shirts known as Ypodctes.
Image 56: Greek Orthodox Pentecost Monday parade, Main Street, between 200 and 300 South, Salt Lake City; June 15, 1908; Helen Z. Papanikolas Collection, Utah State Historical Society.
“Spirit Monday” marking the end of Easter, this day was, and continues today to be, a national Greek holiday where Greek owned businesses and schools close to celebrate. Patriotic rallies and parades such as this one were held in Salt Lake City, Bingham and other Utah towns with Greek communities. This float was sponsored by the Order of United Commercial Travelers (established 1888), a benevolent society for traveling salesman and commercial travelers. The float was pulled by four white horses and ridden by men in traditional Greek clothing, including a Farion or fez with a long black tassel, Donglamus or white tunic uniforms and baggy white shirts known as Ypodctes.
Image 56: Greek Orthodox Pentecost Monday parade, Main Street, between 200 and 300 South, Salt Lake City; June 15, 1908; Helen Z. Papanikolas Collection, Utah State Historical Society.
“Spirit Monday” marking the end of Easter, this day was, and continues today to be, a national Greek holiday where Greek owned businesses and schools close to celebrate. Patriotic rallies and parades such as this one were held in Salt Lake City, Bingham and other Utah towns with Greek communities. This float was sponsored by the Order of United Commercial Travelers (established 1888), a benevolent society for traveling salesman and commercial travelers. The float was pulled by four white horses and ridden by men in traditional Greek clothing, including a Farion or fez with a long black tassel, Donglamus or white tunic uniforms and baggy white shirts known as Ypodctes.
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Image 6: Fur Trapper Rendezvous, Upper Green River, Wyoming, William Henry Jackson, artist.
Image 7: Mormon Immigrants’ first view of the Salt Lake Valley, traveling down Emigration Canyon; William Henry Jackson (1843-1942), artist; painted circa 1930s; black and white copy, Utah State Historical Society.
Jackson spent a lifetime documenting the story of the American West with illustrations, drawings, and photographs. This illustration offers a general–not entirely exact–representation of what the Utah pioneers would have seen, entering the Salt Lake Valley: gentle westerly declines, tall grasses, marsh land and wandering creeks.
ALL EPISODES
Speak Your Piece: a podcast about Utah's history
Season 5, Ep. 3: Historical Struggles for Water: Westwater (Navajo) and the Uinta Reservation (Ute) - Join us @ the Annual History Conference: "Water at the Confluence Past and Present"
RadioActive · August 1, 2022
Featuring: Claudia Loayza of Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs. The division has launched a new series, Magnify Utah, to connect communities, places and multicultural stories. Check back every Monday through Labor Day as RadioACTive passes the microphone to some of those voices on the show.
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Image 8: Fort, Great Salt Lake City, Utah, 1848; taken from "The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, History of Utah, 1540 to 1886," Volume XXVI, The History Company, Publishers, San Francisco, 1889. In general outline, this sketch is correct, notwithstanding the far-too-close and out-of-scale mountains. The fort would have also included interior corrals and acres and acres of freshly tilled and furrowed fields around it.
ABOUT CCE
The Department of Cultural and Community Engagement is currently undergoing a strategic planning process. The resulting plan will outline the “why” of what we do and our commitment to our constituents and communities. It will guide the vision, mission, and objectives of the department over the next five years
The Department of Cultural & Community Engagement has a holistic understanding of the impacts of culture, service, and diversity on our state. With these insights, we cultivate the state’s civic engagement and boost local economies through the lens of art, and humanities.
DISCOVER UTAH HISTORY
Utah has a complex and fascinating history that makes us as unique and diverse as our landscape.
RESOURCES
Utah Arts & Museums seeks to advance the quality of life for all through arts experiences and cultural opportunities. The division provides more than 500 outreach services, including arts education, professional development, exhibitions, community outreach, and direct matching grants to schools, local arts agencies, organizations, community centers, performing groups, museums, and individuals across Utah.
Utah Arts & Museums seeks to advance the quality of life for all through arts experiences and cultural opportunities. The division provides more than 500 outreach services, including arts education, professional development, exhibitions, community outreach, and direct matching grants to schools, local arts agencies, organizations, community centers, performing groups, museums, and individuals across Utah.
Utah Arts & Museums seeks to advance the quality of life for all through arts experiences and cultural opportunities. The division provides more than 500 outreach services, including arts education, professional development, exhibitions, community outreach, and direct matching grants to schools, local arts agencies, organizations, community centers, performing groups, museums, and individuals across Utah.
Utah Arts & Museums seeks to advance the quality of life for all through arts experiences and cultural opportunities. The division provides more than 500 outreach services, including arts education, professional development, exhibitions, community outreach, and direct matching grants to schools, local arts agencies, organizations, community centers, performing groups, museums, and individuals across Utah.
Utah Arts & Museums seeks to advance the quality of life for all through arts experiences and cultural opportunities. The division provides more than 500 outreach services, including arts education, professional development, exhibitions, community outreach, and direct matching grants to schools, local arts agencies, organizations, community centers, performing groups, museums, and individuals across Utah.
Utah Arts & Museums seeks to advance the quality of life for all through arts experiences and cultural opportunities. The division provides more than 500 outreach services, including arts education, professional development, exhibitions, community outreach, and direct matching grants to schools, local arts agencies, organizations, community centers, performing groups, museums, and individuals across Utah.