Salt Lake City-If you are looking for a great way to get involved in the arts in Utah, look no further than the Utah Arts Alliance, and specifically the SLC White Party, happening this year on January 10th at the Masonic Temple in downtown Salt Lake City. Recently I sat down with Utah Arts Alliance founder Derek Dyer to find out more about the Utah Arts Alliance, what in the world the SLC White Party is, and what the Arts Alliance is doing for our arts community.
What is the Utah Arts Alliance?
Derek Dyer began the Utah Arts Alliance in 2003. As the executive director and founder, he has taken this idea and dream and spread it into a vast organization with many different branches. The Utah Arts Alliance is a statewide effort that spans visual, music, theatrical, and other artistic venues within Utah. As a theatre critic, I was quite familiar with the Alliance Theater, a great use of space at Trolley Square that has hosted many wonderful theatrical events, from improv and open mic to the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival over the past few summers. Dyer took the time to open my eyes to many of the other things that UAA provides the Utah artistic community, from a radio station to a fantastic visual art mentoring program to a recording studio. Coming up in a week is the important fundraising party that helps keep all of these programs afloat.
What is the SLC White Party?
The 26thannual SLC White Party is the main yearly fundraiser of the UAA. Dyer describes it as “a great event, just a really fun party.” This year’s event is held at the Masonic Temple in downtown SLC. The evening starts at 9pm and goes all evening, with dancing and both cocktails and mocktails. The event is 21+, and this years theme is A Voyage Through Time. Dyer stated that the chance to use a building like the Masonic temple, with the different rooms with the architecture in the rooms, made it seem like a perfect fit to choose such a theme. Guests who attend donate at least $50 dollars a ticket, and dress up in white, as the title suggests, and to match the theme. Throughout the evening there are performances and artistic displays. It is a chance for the whole community to enjoy some fun together and donate to the projects that are important to the UAA and the arts community. The SLC White Party is Saturday January 10th starting at 8pm, and information for attending the party is on the UAA website.
What Other Projects are part of the Utah Arts Alliance?
One of the most intriguing programs Dyer discussed with me was Connect, a monthly art networking group that meets in several cities in the state, providing artists support and opportunity to gain recognition for their work. There is also the Dreamscapes exhibit, the Urban Arts Gallery, and the KUAA radio station. I also learned that there is a state of the art recording studio that has been used by the likes of Dolly Parton and Elton John. All of these projects would benefit from a settled home of their own, which led Dyer to explain to me their biggest, most ambitious project yet.
The Art Castle and the Future of the Utah Arts Alliance
The Art Castle will be a crown jewel and home base to the artistic community. The historic 120-year-old 15th ward chapel in Salt Lake has been acquired, and just as we have seen with theatres in Salt Lake and Peery, the space is actively being renovated to serve the community in innovative ways. Dyer spoke of many fascinating projects that are well on their way to fruition, and that the funds from this year’s White Party will be used to continue on the path to restore the building. All of the spaces they have had before this are rentals, so having their own space is paramount to the continued success of their organization. The main chapel in the building is being turned into a performance hall, and they are also building a smaller performance space. They are building recording studios, and the radio station is moving into the building. There will be art exhibits, indoor and outdoor, and so much more that the community can be a part of as this community center comes to life. 
How can you help?
To attend the SLC White Party, you can acquire tickets on the UAA website. There are of course other ways to donate and participate with the UAA on their website. Dyer discussed many other ways to participate within the arts community and within the programs that UAA supports. Whether you are interested in the Alliance Theater, Urban Arts Gallery, KUAA radio programs, or any number of other projects, the UAA is a great place to discover what the artistic community in Utah has to offer.
[box]The Utah Arts Alliance SLC White Party is January 10th from 8pm-2am. It will be held at the Masonic Temple in downtown SLC, 650 E South Temple, Salt Lake City 84102. Tickets for this fundraiser start at $51. For more information, or for other ways to volunteer or participate with the Utah Arts Alliance, visit https://utaharts.org/en/.[/box]