Aimee Winder Newton // Republican // State: Governor

1. How have the arts, culture, and/or humanities impacted your life?

My husband and I both sing and play the piano. We also love theater and music. When we started having kids, we made the decision to have each of them take music lessons since we didn't have a farm for them to learn hard work. They started the Suzuki method for piano/violin when they were 4 and took lessons until they were 17. It was one of the hardest things I did as a mom - made sure my kids practiced six days per week - only missing their birthday and holidays. But they have learned to do things that are hard, even when they don't want to. A great side benefit is that they can play the piano/violin.

2. Utah's humanities and arts employ 123,000 Utahns, provide $4.4 billion in earnings, and $13.2 billion in sales. This is a larger economic impact than agriculture, mining, and real estate. Do you consider the arts and cultural sector an economic driver in Utah?

Yes

3. I support...

-Grants to be used for operations (jobs) as soon as possible

-Keeping emergency loans open to nonprofits

-Protecting the RAP taxes so that money granted to cultural organizations doesn't get repurposed

-Increasing availability of loans to cultural businesses (nonprofit and for-profit)

-Fiscally responsible government investment in arts and humanities organizations

-Cultural Districts

-Facilitating partnerships between tourism and culture

-Reducing regulations of creative businesses

-Capital investment (in museums, performance/concert halls, studios, galleries, nonprofit office space, etc.)

-The RAP tax 

-Percent for public art programs, which optionally designate 1% of government capital costs for public art

-Allowing municipalities to set design standards

-K-6 Students should have increased exposure to arts and humanities education

-7-12 Students should have increased exposure to arts and humanities education

-The Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program which puts one arts specialist in most elementary schools

-The POPS (Professional Outreach Program in the Schools) which sends 13 professional arts organizations to all UT school districts

-The iSEE (Informal Science Educational Enhancement) which sends 10 professional science, zoological, and natural history organizations to all UT school districts

4. I will...

-Ensure existing fund balances are preserved for recreation, cultural organizations, and parks 

5. Fiscally responsible government investment in the arts and humanities (including humanities and arts education) means to me:

Utahns have long valued the arts and humanities. The benefit to not only our quality of life, but to economic development is real.

Website: https://aimeeforgovernor.com/