Thursday’s announcement that the Sundance Film Festival will move to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027 continues to make waves in Park City and Summit County’s arts and culture community.Three organizations — the Arts Council of Park City & Summit County, the Kimball Art Center and Park City Perf orming Arts — were quick to express concerns regarding the local ramifications of the loss.Aldy Milliken, executive director of the Kimball Art Center, a nonprofit that brings in world-class art exhibits and offers art classes to the public, expressed his disappointment in the decision. He said Utah had “overlooked the full significance of Sundance and diminished its true impact on the world.” “Sundance is much more than a film festival,” Milliken said. “It represents an attitude that everyone’s stories are valued and respected.” Ember Conley, Park City Performing Arts executive director, said Sundance’s move will have a significant impact on local students, who the nonprofit works with through various outreach programs. Ember Conley, Park City Performing Arts executive director, weighed in on the Sundance announcement. Credit: Park City Performing Arts Board“Film is a powerful art form — one that fosters the expression of ideas, invites us to examine new perspectives, and encourages understanding and acceptance,” she said. “Through (our) Filmmakers in the Classroom program, we connected over 1,200 Park City School District students this year with artists and storytellers from around the world. That kind of experiential learning can’t be replicated, and its absence will be felt deeply by our youth and educators.”Park City Performing Arts will also see a significant drop in monetary support, which will impact its outreach and mission, in addition to the loss of those educational opportunities, according to Conley.“As a nonprofit, Park City Performing Arts also relied on Sundance to provide meaningful benefits to our sponsors, including film tickets and exclusive access,” she said. “With the festival’s departure, we anticipate a loss of up to 25% in winter sponsorships — funds that directly support our programming at the Eccles Center. This will undoubtedly reduce the number and scope of performances we can offer, diminishing access to world-class arts and entertainment in Summit County.”Still, Conley and Park City Performing Arts is committed to its mission of entertaining, illuminating and educating. However, the “ripple effects of Sundance leaving will be felt well beyond January, impacting artists, students, and audiences year-round.”Arts Council Executive Director Jocelyn Scudder also expressed her disappointment, and said the move underscores the importance of the Arts Council’s work in developing a comprehensive Arts & Culture Master Plan for Park City & Summit County, a strategic vision to bolster and sustain the local creative sector.Arts Council Executive Director Jocelyn Scudder Credit: Clayton Steward/Park Record“This plan will provide a roadmap to support artists, invest in cultural infrastructure, attract creative talent and solidify the Park City and Summit County area as a leading arts destination,” she said.Scudder also said the void creates a new beginning to “champion new voices and craft a future that reflects the full potential of our creative community.”“(It’s) the end of a chapter and an opportunity to begin a new one — one that we will write together, with the same passion and creativity that has always defined our town,” she said. “This is a pivotal moment to invest in our arts ecosystem.” Summit County is home to an ever-growing number of artists, performers and makers who continue to strengthen the foundation of our dynamic arts and cultural offerings.”Milliken also called on the local art community to rise to the occasion.“This decision does not absolve us of our responsibility to foster cultural institutions and artists,” he said. “Art is one of the deepest forms of communication. Let’s work together to make art and artists thrive. We know our community will rise to the challenge.”Park City turned much of Main Street into a pedestrian zone during the opening days of the Sundance Film Festival in January, drawing crowds to the blacktop. The street was closed to traffic much like the Kimball Arts Festival. Credit: Park Record file photo by Clayton StewardThe post Wasatch Back arts organizations respond to Sundance move appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less