Southern Utah Art Guild
Southern Utah Art Guild
Back to FinalistsSouthern Utah Art Guild
Mission Statement
Southern Utah Art Guild (SUAG) promotes the growth and development of the visual arts throughout Southern Utah by providing opportunities, education and support for its membership including individuals, patrons and organizations.
Name of Public Space
Vernon Worthen Park
City, State
St. George, UT
Website
Partners
Organization Overview
The Southern Utah Art Guild (SUAG) has been operating for nearly 50 years as the primary resource for artists in St. George. Offering two gallery spaces, workshops, monthly meetings and demonstrations, the organization directly support the arts community and the creation of art within the City of St. George and promotes the City of St. George as a unique and exceptional arts destination.
As a primarily fine arts organization, SUAG has been working closely with the City of St. George government, utilizing two of their spaces as dedicated galleries. SUAG is closely aligned with the government entity and works closely with city officials to promote and establish various art opportunities throughout the community such as public pieces, panel discussions, race events, the annual St. George Art Festival, and more. SUAG is steadily branching out and becoming the premiere organization for any new or visiting artist to learn more about all art opportunities in the city. City officials approached SUAG about helping to expand and develop the well-established “Concert in the Park” series that is held every summer. SUAG plans to help the city re-envision the Concert in the Park series by offering plein-air demonstrations during the events, setting up games and activities on the back lawn, helping to secure more varied performances, and creating an all around more vibrant environment for concert goers than what has been experienced in the past.
Proposal Details
How will your town or city benefit from a Levitt AMP [Your City] Music Series and how will the series reflect the three main goals of Levitt AMP: 1) Amplify community pride and the city’s unique character; 2) enrich lives through the power of free, live Music; 3) illustrate the importance of vibrant public Places?
The City of St. George is one of the fastest growing cities in America and we are experiencing some growing pains. With the burst in population, there is a tug-of-war between preserving the “small-town feel” and expanding the cultural vibrancy. There is also an ongoing issue of funding. Conversations lately have been centered around recreation funding versus public safety. The current funding for the small Concert in the Park Series that already exists is in danger.
In 2020, the City uncovered it’s first public art mural on the side of the St. George Art Museum. Since then, SUAG, working with the City of St. George and Art Around the Corner, have installed one other mural, eight art-wrapped utility boxes, and four painted outdoor pianos in the downtown area. Citizens new and old are recognizing the importance of public art in cultural preservation, cultural growth, and general quality of life. Our hope is that with the Levitt AMP St. George Music Series we can bring new and varied forms of art to our community that not only represent the current demographic, but also the cultures that are moving to St. George in droves. In 2022, The city hosted its very first reggae concert to a record audience. This was an incredible show of open mindedness and cultural appreciation since the dominating concert genre in the city has always been country and gospel. The music series will enhance the lives of not just the audience members, but also the community at large by expanding the types of art and music that the community is being exposed to. The series will also, more than anything, help make the case that art (publicly subsidized/free) is vital to a healthy and happy community, especially one growing as rapidly as St. George.
Explain how the Levitt AMP [Your City] Music Series will play a role in enlivening the selected public space and surrounding areas.
Vernon Worthen Park should be the premiere park for the downtown area. Situated across from the park is some of the most dense apartment complexes in the county. The city is currently constructing a new gazebo as the old one has been damaged by weather and time. Recently there was a renovation of the tennis courts to become pickleball and futsal courts in an attempt to get more people into the park. There is a popular belief that since the park is so closed to the apartments and university, the “townspeople” don’t want to go there. Vernon Worthen is one of the best parks in the city and should be the hub for arts and cultural events. By activating the space and bringing the higher density residents and university students together with the other half of town, Vernon Worthen is situated to become the center of the City.