When you think of Salt Lake City a few things may come to mind… the Mormon Church, the 2002 Winter Olympics, the Utah Jazz.  Back in the day (30 years ago, but who’s counting), I visited Salt Lake City quite often while working as a tour bus driver at Yellowstone National Park.  It was part of my job to travel the 6 hours south to pick up tour groups.  Although those visits were brief, I thought I had gotten a good feel for what the city was about.  Never did I think “thriving art community.” 

But, recently I learned that Salt Lake City was named to the Top 25 Arts Destinations List (mid-size cities) for the 5th year in a row by American Style magazine.  So this visit, I was going to see a different side of Salt Lake City.

My guide was Linda Moffitt, a local artist and the art community’s self proclaimed cheerleader.  We met in a quaint neighborhood district located at 9th and 9th.  (Tip: Be sure to take a little time to learn how the streets are numbered before you travel to Salt Lake.  It's based on a grid system with Temple Square as the center and addresses usually have two numbers. For example, the AAA office is at 560 East 500 South. This means the office is five block south and slightly more than five blocks east of the temple. Locals tend to drop the last two zeroes when giving directions. Look at TripTik Travel Planner to see a city map.) 

As we drove around Salt Lake, I first noticed the art along the streets.  In 1976 the city committed to promoting arts with the creation of the Salt Lake City Arts Council.  The public art program provides artists opportunities to display artwork which enhances or is integrated into public buildings and public spaces.  Currently on display throughout the city is Flying Objects 2.0, a series of unique sculptures -- some kinetic and some powered by solar energy.  

First stop was the Phillips Gallery.  The Phillips Gallery is the oldest commercial gallery in the intermountain west (the area between the Rocky Mountains, the Cascades and the Sierra Nevada Mountains), featuring local, national and international artists.  Artwork created by artists using different mediums cause visitors to pause , admire and question.   

There’s quite an advantage of visiting galleries with an artist.  Linda was able to explain in some detail the different types of art and techniques used to create it.  She also engaged us in a discussion regarding “what is art?”  She felt that a piece or art was successful if it caused someone to pause and look at it for more than 5 seconds.

After the Phillips Gallery we headed to the Utah Artist Hands Gallery.   This gallery features Utah artists and is filled with unique and interesting pieces including paintings, sculpture, pottery and jewelry.  It also shares business space with a lovely little coffee shop called, appropriately, the Artful Cup. 

Our last stop during our brief Gallery Stroll in Salt Lake City was the Salt Lake Art Center.  The Center not only provides space for interesting art installations, it also provides classes for budding artists.  This is a place where the question of “what is art” is really raised.  Showing at the time of our visit was “Contemporary Masters,” an interactive art exhibit.   Interactive how?  It was a miniature golf course with each hole created as a piece of art.  Visitors were encouraged to pick up a club and a colorful ball and play the course, all the while pondering the meaning of each hole.  Unfortunately, our time was short and we didn’t have an opportunity to play – I think my companions may have just been worried that I might win.  

Concluding the day we stopped at the Rio Grande Café located in the historic Rio Grande Train Station.  The café serves traditional Mexican food at truly affordable prices.  Four of us enjoyed a delicious, full meal, served quickly (I was surprised HOW quickly) for under $45.  And once again, we were surrounded by wonderful and interesting art hanging on the walls of the old train station. 

Do you have a favorite city or town that embraces the arts?  A place that most of us would never expect?  Take a moment and share it with TravelViews readers.