Park City is one of the best small
art towns in America!

Main Street in Park City

Artists and cultural admirers can throw their heads back and laugh at the irony that Park City was once listed on the national list of historic "ghost towns." In 1996, Park City made another list. The town was honored in a book entitled "Top 100 Small Towns for Art in America." Perhaps the town's breathtaking natural surroundings are what inspire so many to explore their innermost creative talents, investing that energy back into the community for visitors and locals alike to enjoy. A long legacy of artistic works and events echo throughout Park City history, and today, this cultural authority is more vibrant than ever.

Six years ago, Park City formed its own Arts Council. Executive Director Joanna Charnes says of Park City, "It's a really nice partnership in a resort town when the artistic components we offer complement the recreational opportunities here. It's idyllic for our visitors. It's beautiful, there's tons of outdoor adventure and yet we're a stone's throw from regional and world-class cultural arts venues. To me, that's the essence of it all."

Each January, filmmakers from all over the country convene for North America's premiere independent film competition at Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival. During the summer, the town comes alive with sculptors, painters, dancers, musicians and creative thinkers who come to hone their crafts.

Perhaps the pinnacle of the summer arts scene occurs at the beginning of August when over 200 artists, and thousands of art enthusiasts from across the country, flock to the Park City Art Festival, this year enjoying its 30th anniversary. Attracting the country's finest painters, craftsmen and sculptors, the Festival is the town's summer masterpiece for the arts.

For the theatrical crowd, Park City's historic Main Street is the proud home of the Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theatre, just recently renovated to its former glory. The Egyptian Theatre Company stages plays throughout the year, with a summer 1999 schedule that includes "The Chairs," "Pump Boys & Dinettes," and "Side by Side by Sondheim."

The Summit Institute for the Arts and Humanities has long been know for its outstanding programs. The Institute's artists-in-residence dance program is among the country's finest collaborations of classical and modern dancers. Beginning with the humanities program in June, the Institute offers myriad cultural performances throughout the summer, on the green slopes of Deer Valley Resort as well as other locations throughout town. A summer 1999 schedule includes a chamber music festival, and a wide array of dancers and composers in residence. Also, two modern dance companies, Repertory Dance Theater and the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company are in residence during July and August working with young dancers.

The Park City Performing Arts Foundation presents an eclectic variety of dance, speakers, and musical events in their 1,300-seat state-of-the-art multipurpose theater. The George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Center for the Performing Arts was built in 1998, adjacent to the Park City High School, and has become a town center for performances of all types. Summer 1999 will see many performances including the Hispanic Music Association, the Kennedy Center's version of 'The Nightingale' and Peter Davison, juggler and actor.

More of a film buff? The Park City Film Series shows an array of international independent films Friday and Saturday nights throughout the year in the historic Jim Santy Auditorium at the Park City Library & Education Center. Those who miss the winter's Sundance Film Festival can often catch those same films in a less crowded summer setting. Park City's first summer film festival, SlamDance, will celebrate its inaugural season this July.

For visual art connoisseurs, over 20 art galleries offer collections from both local and national artists. Along historic Main Street, browsers and buyers can find works of Native Americans, wildlife photographers, jewelers, ceramic designers, sculptors, wood craftsmen and contemporary pieces by local and regional artists. The Kimball Art Center, at the base of Main Street, showcases new exhibits each month in two separate galleries, and hosts art classes in a variety of mediums. A great way to experience all of Park City's fine galleries is to enjoy a gallery stroll the first Friday of each month.

From a poetry reading at a local bookstore, to a national dance troupe leaping across a grand stage, to a unique metal sculpture placed alongside a public walking trail, the town of Park City and the The Arts Council are dedicated to providing residents and visitors alike a full range of cultural opportunities. Throughout the year, a host of musical and theatrical events offer a full palate of artistic activities sure to please the most discriminating critic and enthusiastic devotee.