Local Arts Agencies work to foster and support the arts in their communities. Whether they take the form of councils, boards, committees, government entities or nonprofit organizations, they are at the heart of community arts participation and play an important role in advocating, encouraging and developing arts and cultural awareness. They frequently interface with local government, acting as a critical resource for community-building and raising the quality of life.

Definition

A Local Arts Agency is the primary organization in a defined geographical area that supports and advances the arts in service to the community by engaging residents, identifying and addressing community needs, reflecting community demographics, contributing to the quality of life, building community identity, supporting artists and arts organizations, and speaking as a unified voice for arts and culture. A Local Arts Agency is differentiated from other community arts organizations by its responsibility for fostering the arts throughout the community and by offering various types of arts services and/or activities that are often multidisciplinary in nature.

A Local Arts Agency can be an agency of local government, a nonprofit organization, or a hybrid of the two.

Typical activities of Local Arts Agencies include:

Promoting/providing access to varied art forms
Addressing cultural variation and traditional arts
Regional fundraising for the arts/grant-making
Cultural assessment and planning
Caring for a community’s art collections
Producing/presenting programs not otherwise available
Supporting the creative economy/economic development
Managing art facilities or venues
Advocating for the arts
Providing services to artists and arts organizations

Designation

To be recognized as a Local Arts Agency by the Utah Division of Arts & Museums, organizations must first be officially designated as such by their municipality. This designation requires a formal "Local Arts Agency Designation Agreement". To qualify as a designated Local Arts Agency, the organization must consistently engage in at least four of the fourteen activities outlined in the Designation Agreement.

The agreement is signed by a representative from the local arts council and a representative from the municipality (such as the mayor, a city council member, or the city/county administrator). Local Arts Agencies seeking General Operating Support grants from the Utah Division of Arts & Museums are required to have this municipal designation. The designation is valid for two years.

Local Arts Agency Resources

Conference and Training Support – Local Arts Council Staff, Board, and Volunteers

Community Program provides funding support for Local Arts Agency staff, board members, or volunteers to attend relevant conferences or training. These conferences provide opportunities for those associated with Local Arts Agencies in Utah to expand their skill sets and network with other arts and non-arts organizations.

This program is currently on hold.

Opportunities at the Utah Division of Arts & Museums

The Change Leader Program is a professional development course and an active network of course graduates committed to bringing about positive change in communities through arts and culture. It is particularly valuable training for Local Arts Agencies because of its strong emphasis on community building. Ideally at least one representative of each local arts agency will participate in the Change Leader Program. Following the three-day intensive Institute, participants complete a certification project. These certified Change Leaders then mentor each other and continue to meet through ongoing conferences and networking events.

Some of the networking opportunities and services we provide for Local Arts Councils:

Roster of Local Arts Agencies in Utah
Bi-monthly Local Arts Agency newsletter (Sign up here!)
Meetings with Local Arts Agency staff, volunteers, and board members in their communities

Local Arts Meetings:

Local Arts Meetings are public meetings that allow us to connect with Local Arts Agencies, as well as the artists, arts administrators, arts educators, and museums in the area. This is a chance for you to tell us how we can better serve you, your organization, and community.

Local Arts Agencies are often the main catalyst for sharing information with the elected officials who make decisions affecting arts and culture and should participate in public policy discussions that affect their communities. Effective advocacy hinges on continuous education and communication between supporters (advocates), their decision-makers (local politicians, state and federal legislators) and the public. For more information on advocacy events, click on a link below:

For more information regarding local arts agencies and resources, please contact us.

Tracy Hansford
Community Programs
801.682.5447