This year, local institutions, including the Southern Utah Museum of Art, the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts, the Utah Summer Games and the Utah Shakespeare Festival all celebrated anniversaries. In recognition, SUMA curated exhibits to celebrate and highlight each of these institutions, on display from June 5 to Sept. 26.
Carrying the Flame Forward: 40 Years of Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games
Founded in 1986, the Utah Summer Games were inspired by the Olympic games. The goal was to bring together athletes of all ages from across the state to celebrate athleticism and the spirit of competition. The exhibit featured memorabilia from previous games, including medals, posters and news articles.
The Play’s the Thing: 65 Years of the Utah Shakespeare Festival
Founded in 1962 by SUU theater professor Fred Adams, the Utah Shakespeare Festival was created with the belief that theater has the power to permanently and positively impact people and communities. The exhibit showcases the festival’s history through their productions of Hamlet over the years, spanning from 1962 to 2026. The exhibit was made up of old tickets and playbills, costumes and props used in previous productions and artistic renderings of clothing and set designs.
Art from Abstract to Zion: Celebrating 10 Years of SUMA
Opening in 2016, the Southern Utah Museum of Art features artwork of regional artists, faculty and student artists from SUU and emerging artists from around the world. Their mission is to be an educational and cultural resource that fosters engagement and learning within the community and across the region. This exhibit featured a broad range of pieces from their permanent collection, including oil landscapes, photography and sculptures that represented different cultures from around the world.
Artistic Visions: A Timeline of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts
Beverley Taylor Sorenson was a longstanding patron of the arts and, before her death in 2013, was encouraged by her children to support a project at SUU that would spotlight the arts. Her generous gift enabled a new center that connected the Utah Shakespeare Festival with the Southern Utah Museum of Art under a single banner and shared mission. Featuring photographs, an educational video and the groundbreaking shovel, the exhibit was a heartfelt tribute to Beverley Sorenson and her love of the arts.
Author: Asa Burns
Photo: Courtesy of Southern Utah Museum of Art
Editor: Charlee Steed
arts@suunews.net