Mark Chambers // Democrat // Utah State Senate District 28 (A+)

1. Should government invest in funding the arts and humanities at fiscally responsible levels?

Answer: Yes

2. Do you support investing money into K-12 arts and humanities education at fiscally responsible levels?

Answer: Yes

3. Do you believe that arts and humanities education should be required in the k-12 curriculum?

Answer: Yes

4. Do you consider the arts and culture sector to be an economic driver in Utah?

Answer: Yes

5. Do you support Utah's Percent-for-Art Act, which designates 1% of public building costs for public art?

Answer: Yes

6. Do you support preserving the Utah Historic Preservation Tax Credit?

Answer: Yes

7. Do you support policy that positively impacts tourism, such as the creation of historic and cultural districts?

Answer: Yes

8. Have you had a personal experience with arts, culture, or humanities that has had an impact on your life? Please explain. (responses to this question were not graded)

The Arts have always played a vital part in my life. Throughout my education in Utah, I was exposed to the Arts through a variety of programing. Every year from Kindergarten to High School graduation, we were given the opportunity to see Ballet West, Utah Opera, Utah Symphony, Ririe Woodbury, and RDT at school assemblies. My husband Joe Pitti toured the state of Utah as part of the Utah Arts Councils Artist in Education program and the Utah Performing Arts Tour teaching and performing in a variety of settings. Many rural towns rely on grants and arts agencies to provide artistic experiences in their communities. These experiences are invaluable, and the arts need to return as a priority to our education system.

Most of my career has been in the Arts. I was an integral part of the Salt Lake Acting Company in the ‰Û÷80s, as an actor and an Arts Administrator. Because of my ticketing background, I was hired by the Sundance Institute to be part of the first team to turn the Utah Film and Video Festival into the Sundance Film Festival. I saw first hand the economic impact the SFF had on Park City.

During the 90‰Ûªs I was the Director of ArtTix, a combined ticket office for the Salt Lake County Arts venues and many of the not-for-profit Performing Arts Companies. I worked closely with the Utah Opera, Utah Symphony, Ballet West, RWDC, RDT, and many new companies. The Arts play an important role in many citizens lives, not only economically but in attracting new business to our state. Currently in Washington County and Iron County, two of the biggest tourist attractions and therefore economic engines are Tuacahn and The Utah Shakespeare Festival.

I was the President and served on the Executive Committee for the Zion Arts and Humanities Councifor five yearsl, helping turn the organization from the red to the black and setting the stage for it to receive the Governor's Leadership in Arts Award in 2016.

To me the Arts are a vital component to life in Utah.