Liz Mumford // Republican // Davis School Board District 1

  • How have the arts, culture, and/or humanities impacted your life?
    • I have been a lifelong participant and patron of the arts in Utah. Performing and visual arts are an intrinsic part of our family and how we see the world. I believe that the arts and cultural experiences break down barriers and bring out the best in humanity.
  • 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
  • Fiscally responsible government investment in the arts and humanities (including humanities and arts education) means to me:
    • Solid partnerships between the public and private sector cultivate a robust arts community in a fiscally responsible way. I value government investment in programs like Beverly Taylor Sorenson that allow us to magnify arts exposure in public schools.
  • Items of Business I support:
    • K-6 Students should have increased exposure to arts and humanities education
    • 7-12 Students should have increased exposure to arts and humanities education
    • I support the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program which puts one arts specialist in most elementary schools
    • I support the POPS (Professional Outreach Program in the Schools) which sends 13 professional arts organizations to all UT school districts
    • I support the iSEE (Informal Science Educational Enhancement) which sends 10 professional science, zoological, and natural history organizations to all UT school districts
    • I support working to increase funding for arts and humanities education.
  • How would you expand participation in the arts and humanities amongst all students?
    • I will continue to work productively with the Utah Music Educators' Association in their efforts to develop teachers. i see the greatest results for students when schools have strong arts instructors and the autonomy to develop robust programs that are attractive to students. UMEA has a strong leadership presence in our district and I have been active in policy to support the advancement of their programs including the development of a district honor band, and travel to clinics for students. I support community partnerships to get our students in galleries and venues where they can shine and I think we need more sensitivity to our increasingly multicultural population in Davis County so the arts culture represents them too.
  • Anything else we should know about you?
    • I generally oppose increasing credit requirements for students in any curricular area. I think the current credit requirement introduces all students to the arts and humanities which is essential. Any extra flexibility and personalization we build in to class offerings allows students to pursue their passions and take additional classes in the arts. In relation to HB 357, I'm not comfortable with assessing property tax increases specifically for the arts program at this time, but have recently supported a tax increase that funds the general budget including maintaining strong arts programs in Davis County.