2019 Accomplishments // 2019 Annual Report

  • Secured $2 million one time increase to the Utah Division of Arts and Museums Grant Budget.
  • Secured funding for an Artifacts Collection Manager at the Department of Heritage and Arts ongoing.
  • Secured $1 million one time funding for BetterDays 2020
  • Secured $1.5 million one time for BTSALP
  • Secured $31,000 ongoing for Compensation and ISF Exceptions for Heritage and Arts.
  • Secured $200,000 one time funding for iSEE
  • Secured $490,000 one time funding for an updated Collections Management Facility.
  • Secured $1 million one time funding for the Motion Picture Post Performance Economic Development Incentive Program
  • Secured $20,000 one time and $20,000 ongoing for the POPS program.
  • Secured $250,000 one time for the Transcontinental Railroad Spike 150 Celebration.

This is a total of $6,466,000!

Pass-throughs that UCA Advocated for also secured $3,460,000

We also worked to impact policy that impacts the Cultural Sector positively.

  • Passed HB 128: Consumer Ticket Protection Modifications that requires any ticket reseller clearly identify itself as a secondary reseller. It requires all resellers to state that the tickets sold by them may be higher than face value, and to provide an itemized breakdown of the resale price. It makes it illegal for any ticket reseller to try and impersonate a primary seller, including by using the name of the event, venue, artist, etc. in their domain names. It instructs the Division of Consumer Protection to enforce these rules with stiff penalties.
  • Passed HB 224: Department of Heritage and Arts Amendments. -Puts in statute the Division of Multicultural Affairs and Utah Multicultural Commission which were previously created via Executive Order. This solidifies these important state functions in statute. One of the duties of the Division of Multicultural Affairs includes helping nonprofit entities receiving state funds to promote inclusiveness, gain the trust of the state's multicultural communities, and works with various state agencies to sure the state provides equitable resources, services and programs that address the needs of the state's multicultural communities. The bill also makes a few minor technical changes to how various boards within the Department define quorum and how pass through appropriations are distributed.
  • Passed SB 69: Consumer Ticket Protection Amendments. -This bill does three important things. First, it says that any person may issue up to 10% of their tickets for an event as "restricted" tickets, meaning tickets that cannot be resold (i.e. change tickets from one name to another). Second, it says that any venue may denominate up to 10% of the concert and theater events in a given year as "restricted" events, and issue as many restricted tickets for those events as it chooses. Third, beginning in 2020, it creates reporting requirements for ticket-issuing organizations who offer restricted tickets. Organizations exempt from this bill include: International Film Festivals (Sundance), the NCAA basketball tournament, and official events of any college/university.
  • Passed SB 73: Amendments to Martha Hughs Cannon Oversight Committee
  • Passed SB 87: Procurment of Design Professionals Amendments.
  • Passed SB 101: Navajo Code Talker Recognition. -Connected to SCR02, this annually sets Navajo Code Talker Day on August 14th in state statute so it is celebrated every year.
  • Passed SCR 02: Concurrent Resolution REcognizing Navajo Code Talkers. -Recognizes and honors the legacy and bravery of the Navajo Code Talkers and and designates August 14, 2019 as "Utah Navajo Code Talkers Day" to honor them. It specifically names the 8 living Navajo Code talkers.
  • Passed SB81 Sub 1: Native Americans Remains Amendments. - Creates a fund for the Native American Repatriation Restricted Account. This fund pays for the time and travel expenses for tribes when they exchange with the state in official ‘tribal consultations’. When Native American remains are found, tribes have the ability to claim individuals for repatriation and re-interment, however all but a handful of these individuals are housed in a vault near Salt Lake City due to financial, realty, and training constraints. The purpose of this bill is to remove the financial burden for tribal consultation from the tribes and, hopefully, lead to a more active repatriation process to the tribes.
  • Convinced the State Fire Marshall to edit the rule that was preventing presenting organizations from hiring out of state fire performers.
  • We've agreed to work on improving the Charitable Solicitation Permit with partners at Consumer Protections and UNA.

Additional accomplishments:

  • SLC City Council voted to increase the public art program from 1% to 1.5% of Capital Improvement Project funds for Fiscal Year 2020.
  • Increased Federal Humanities Caucus by two, Representative Chris Stewart and Representative Ben McAdams.
  • Increased Federal Arts and STEAM Caucuses by one, Representative Ben McAdams
  • Surveyed 500 municipal candidates, interviewed 200. 60% of endorsed candidates made it into the general election. 
  • Congressman McAdams signed the "Dear Colleague" letters for all four federal cultural agencies: National Endowment for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and Institution for Museum and Library Services.
  • Increased the state Cultural Caucus to include ALL Senators and all but one Representatives. (All time high).
  • Worked with Preservation Utah to successfully save the Amanda Knight building at BYU. Instead of demolition, BYU will sell the building to a preservation-minded developer.
  • Hosted a well attended (60+ legislators over 200 people) dinner with the entire legislature that is on the official social calendar the day before Arts Day on the Hill! Legislators raved about this event!
  • Partnered with Utah Museums Association and Office of Museum Services to organize the lobbying aspects of Museum Day on the Hill
  • Partnered with Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Art Works for Kids, and Utah Music Educators Association (UMEA) to organize Arts Day on the Hill
  • Working with partners to develop a diversity and inclusion plan for the arts & cultural sector
  • Released the 2018 State of UT Culture Report
  • Grew the Cultural Asset Map to 6,000+ pins
  • Worked with partners (UMEA, Art Works, UDEO, UATT, UAEA, POPS, iSEE, and more) to develop an advocacy plan for improved arts & humanities K-12 education. This is the culmination of many years of coalition building.