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GARY R.

HERBERT
Governor
SPENCER J. COX
Lieutenant Governor

Julie Fisher
Executive Director

For immediate release


01 Sept. 2015

Geoffrey Fattah, 801.245.7205


Communications Director, Utah Dept. of Heritage and Arts

The Department of Heritage & Arts Continues to Serve and Support


the Arts and Humanities in Utah
SALT LAKE CITY A group of arts advocates held a press conference at the State Capitol this morning to
highlight their concerns regarding the State of Utahs support for the arts and humanities. The
Department of Heritage & Arts, and its Division of Arts & Museums, welcome and rely upon input from
the arts and all communities they serve. Unfortunately, a media advisory for the press conference
presents inaccurate information and incorrect budget data which the Department seeks to correct.
The groups media advisory contains budget numbers for various divisions within the Department of
Heritage & Arts which are incorrect. The table below shows the budgets for Fiscal Year 2016 for the Utah
State Library Division, Utah Division of State History, and the Utah Division of Arts & Museums (with
separate line items for arts and museums), as well as legislative pass-through funds which benefit arts,
cultural, and historical institutions, museums, and libraries throughout the State:

FY 2016 Appropriation Utah Department of Heritage & Arts (selected divisions)


Total Budget

Grants Budget

Utah State Library Division

8,291,000

2,330,700

Utah Division of State History

3,176,500

732,000

Utah Division of Arts & Museums (arts funding)

3,978,900

1,713,600

Utah Division of Arts & Museums (museums funding)

363,300

363,300

Legislative pass-through

3,422,000

3,422,000

As the table illustrates, a significant amount of each divisions budget is reserved for grants which are
awarded directly to individuals, groups, institutions, and local governments through a variety of
competitive, peer-reviewed grant processes.
Budget funds that are not awarded as grants are used to support the activities of professional staff in each
of the divisions who provide services directly to members of the public, schools, local governments, arts
organizations, cultural organizations, museums, historical institutions, libraries, and more. Annual reports
which detail the programmatic activities and accomplishments of the Department of Heritage & Arts and
its divisions are available at heritage.utah.gov.

Find more about us online at heritage.utah.gov


DHAs mission is to enrich the quality of life for the people of Utah and nourish Utahs economy. DHA creates, preserves, and
promotes arts, heritage preservation and culture by offering a wide variety of programs through its six divisions: Utah State Library,
Utah State History, Arts & Museums, Commission on Service and Volunteerism, Indian Affairs and Multicultural Affairs. By investing
in Utahs heritage, creative industries and diversity, DHA elevates Utahs quality of life and contributes to Utahs growing economy.

April 19, 2012


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National comparisons of state arts agency funding can be found via the National Association of States Arts
Agencies (NASAA):
http://www.nasaaarts.org/Research/Funding/FY2016_SAA_Legislative_Appropriations_Preview.pdf
Concerns have also been raised that the Department of Heritage & Arts requested the defunding of
competitive arts grants programs during the August 2015 legislative interim meeting. No reduction in
existing arts grants or other grants programs within the Department was proposed. Minutes and an audio
recording of the interim meeting are available at le.utah.gov.
The Department of Heritage & Arts has consistently advocated for increased funding for arts, museums,
history, and library grants and other funding since state revenues have begun to recover following the
economic downturn. Working closely with Governor Gary R. Herberts office and with the Legislature, the
Department has secured both ongoing and onetime funding for museums grants, library grants, fine art
acquisition and conservation (which had never been previously included in the Division of Arts &
Museums base budget), and the National History Day program.
The Department has utilized cost savings from operational efficiencies to internally fund the acquisition of
upgraded folk art, 3D art, and large-scale art storage systems, an overhaul of the digital database of the
state fine art, public art, and folk art collections, and improvements to the Rio Gallery. The Department
facilitated the restoration of the Museums Specialist and Folk Arts Specialist positions at the Division of
Arts & Museums by absorbing some internal IT functions that had previously resided within the Division,
which made available 85% of the funds used to restore these two positions.
The Department recognizes that there is always room for improvement in all aspects of its operations,
customer service, and advocacy. The Department will continue to work with the Governors Office, the
Legislature, its boards, its customers, and community groups to find better ways to serve the public and
follow its statutory mandate the advance the arts, in all their phases (Utah Code, Title 9).
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