Utah Cultural Advocacy Alliance Grade: A+ (100%)

  • Candidate Name: Patrick Risk 
  • Your Municipality: South Jordan
  • Elected office for which you are running: City Council District 3

Question 1: Should government be involved in funding the arts and humanities?
Yes

Question 2: Have you had a personal experience with arts, culture, or humanities that have had an impact on your life?
Yes

3b // Optional, explain your experience.
I was in choir in High School and I loved every minute of it! It has instilled a passion for singing in me, and a desire to see others have the same opportunity I had to learn and grow.

Question 3: Do you support public funding for city and county arts councils who then re-grant that money to local arts and humanities organizations?
Yes

3b // Optional, explain why or why not.
As long as the money is accounted for, and those who receive the funding our held accountable to expend the monies in the most efficient and effective way possible, I am very supportive of supporting/subsidizing local arts programs.

Question 4: Do you support Percent for Art programs, which designate 1% of public building costs for public art that are included within that building? Currently, only 8 Utah municipalities have such a program.
Yes

4b // Optional, explain why or why not.
I believe we need to re-envision what "centers" are in our communities - especially as the old definition of "centers" as shopping destinations is transformed with more online sales and less brick and mortar shops. Our new "centers" should focus on bringing people together for arts, entertainment, worship, etc.

Question 5: Do you support having a Percent-for-Art program in your own municipality?
Yes

5b // Optional, explain why or why not.

Question 6: Do you consider the arts and cultural sector an economic driver in Utah?
Yes

6b // Optional, explain why or why not.
Art and culture have always been core to the values we hold dear in Utah. The Social Hall was one of the first buildings built by the Pioneers. They understood well the power of the Arts in bringing people together, educating children, and promoting economic development.

Question 7: 32 municipalities have a RAP (recreation, arts, and parks) type tax to help support cultural organizations in their communities. Would you support a RAP type tax such as this in your own municipality? If your municipality already has such a local option sales RAP-type sales tax and you support it, answer yes.
Yes

7b // Optional, explain your experience.

Question 8: Municipalities can facilitate partnerships between cultural organizations and the local tourism sector to boost the local economy. Do you support this? Optional, explain why or why not. 
Yes

8b // Optional, explain why or why not. 
I think this is key to reduce redundancy and extend the reach of tax payer dollars to achieve the greatest value add for the community and state.

Question 9: Municipal governments can create Cultural Districts - with or without tax incentives. Governments sometimes fund these via bed or tourism taxes within the Cultural District boundaries, but it can be done within municipal budgets fairly cheaply. Is this something you would support?
Yes

9b // Optional, explain why or why not. 
This is a great option for "centers" as I described and areas of revitalization need (such as downtown areas).