As the first and oldest state arts agency in the nation, the Utah Division of Arts & Museums (UA&M) celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2025. Our work is based on the following principles: 

UA&M Mission: Our agency enhances Utah’s quality of life. We champion opportunities to experience culture by investing in arts and museums, offering professional development, facilitating connections, and providing direct services.

UA&M Vision: Our agency inspires and connects people and communities through Utah’s arts and museums, encouraging a vibrant and culturally engaged state.

UA&M Values: Respect, collaboration, support, accessibility, and creativity. 

UA&M Six Strategic Initiatives: 

1. Preserve, protect, and activate Utah’s art and cultural resources. 
2. Support UA&M’s constituents through professional development, investments, and convening.
3. Cultivate and nurture effective partnerships and collaborations to strengthen Utah’s cultural sector.
4. Model welcoming and accessible practices. 
5. Develop and implement outcome-based metrics to guide strategic decision-making. 
6. Champion the value and impact of Utah’s cultural community.

UA&M offers a variety of professional development opportunities and grants to serve our constituents. We serve schools, local arts agencies, organizations, community centers, performing groups, museums, and individuals across Utah.

Our agency acts as a state coordinator and advisor on topics of importance to arts and museums communities. We manage the State of Utah Alice Merrill Horne Art Collection, the Utah Percent-for-Art Act public art program, and traveling exhibitions, reaching every county in the state. UA&M is the primary agency in Utah that distributes state and federal funds to stimulate and encourage growth in the creative industries. These funds are appropriated directly for arts and museums by both the Utah State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. We are a division of the Department of Cultural & Community Engagement within Utah state government.

Utah Arts & Museums is a state agency involved in public funding for arts and museums. As a public entity, we reserve the right to make final decisions on the use of public funds for projects, programs, acquisitions, commissions, or other activities as deemed appropriate by the division and/or our board.