Leadership Park City Class 32 has unveiled a new mural project intended to impact Summit County, marking the latest initiative from the community's civic leadership training program. The project comes as part of a broader effort to connect local leaders with the issues and stakeholders driving life in the region.
Leadership Training and Community Connection
The mural project is the latest contribution from Leadership Park City, a one-year civic and leadership training program that seeks to connect participants with the core issues and stakeholders shaping the community. Each year, the program welcomes approximately 35 individuals who self-identify as leaders within the community.
The program focuses on helping participants build lifelong friendships with classmates and gain a detailed perspective on local governance. Participants also travel to western mountain towns to meet with local leaders to expand their understanding of community dynamics.
The initiative is part of a larger landscape of public art managed by the Arts Council of Park City & Summit County. The Council serves as an administrator and advisor to the Summit County Public Art Advisory Board, supporting the planning, operations, and public engagement of regional art programs.
Through the Summit County Public Art Advisory Board, the Council oversees the 1% Percent-for-Art Policy. This policy allocates one percent of eligible county capital improvement project budgets toward the commissioning and installation of public art, ensuring that new infrastructure and buildings contribute to a culturally rich public realm.
In addition to county-led efforts, the Council supports private and partner-led public art projects. Previous examples of such collaborations include Snowglobe Installations by the Historic Park City Alliance, gondola cabin installations by the Canyons Village Management Association, and artist-created books from Deer Valley Resort.
Summit County Art Collections
Summit County has a long history of preserving local artistry through its Fine Art Collection. Since the 1990s, the county has collected works by talented local artists, selecting one to two pieces each year from the Summit County Fair Art Show to be added to the permanent collection. This collection is currently on view at the Summit County Administrative Building in Coalville, Utah.
Historical Photographic Exhibits
A notable part of the local art scene includes the George Beard Photography Exhibit. The work of pioneer artist George Beard offers a portrait of the early days of Coalville. Using glass plate technology, Beard documented both public and private moments, capturing the community's transformation across five decades around the turn of the century. His photographs are currently on display at the Ledges Event Center.
