Charter Day on the Hill

The Utah Association of Public Charter Schools gathered in the capitol Monday February 11, 2013 for their event “Charter Day on the Hill.” Their goals for this legislative session can be found here.

Thirty-five of the 88 charter schools in Utah were represented, bringing over 400 students, educators, and administrators to the capitol. The Association of Public Charter Schools believes in giving parents a choice in educating their children, as well as in the benefits of a specialized education for students. 

Charter Day on the Hill was a chance for schools to demonstrate the presence of Charter Schools to their legislators. The event was designed to give attention to the activities of the schools themselves and the bills the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools have sponsored this legislative session.

Arts Day at the Legislature

Utah Division of Arts & Museums

The Utah State Capitol was built to serve not only as a place for government, but as a house of the people. During the Legislative Session community members often assemble, advocating for what they hold important for the enrichment of their shared State of Utah. Some of these gatherings include Museum Day at the Legislature, Rural Legislation Day, and the event held yesterday, Arts Day at the Legislature. Arts Day brought over 100 visitors to the Capitol for their participation.

Event Details

Organized by Art Works for Kids! and the Utah Arts Council Board of Directors, Arts Day at the Legislature on Tuesday, February 5, 2013 occupied the State Capitol Rotunda.

What is the purpose of this event?

This event is held in particular to give attention to those who are receiving enrichment from, have been heavily influenced by, and have overall benefited from public funding of arts. Arts Day enables the community to actively introduce artists to their legislators to remind them of the importance of the arts. This event is also a chance for arts supporters to personally thank their legislators for their continued support of art in schools and the community.

Who puts on this event?

Art Works for Kids! particularly advocates for continuing the Beverly Taylor Sorenson Learning Arts Programming. The Utah Arts Council Board of Directors is a governing board of Utah Division of Arts and Museums and is in charge of aiding in the development of arts in the community, managing state and federal arts funding, and working as a springboard for arts planning around the state.

Utah State Legislature Resource Guide

Utah State House of Representatives

The 2013 Utah State Legislative Session began this week, and the Capitol Complex is alive with activity. A combined 548 bills are scheduled to be discussed in the House and the Senate, and public events and tours are quickly filling up. We've collected all the best resources to help you find the information you need—whether you're visiting the Capitol, tracking legislation, or attending an event.

Your Legislators

Full rosters of both the House and the Senate can be found on the Utah State Legislature website. If you are unsure who your legislators are, type your address into the interactive map here. The Utah State Legislature website also lists the current Senate Standing Committees and House Standing Committees, as well as the Appropriations Committees.

Tracking Bills and Committee Meetings

Check out the live stream of session if you're curious about what the elected officials are discussing. The legislative website is also where you can find a list of bills to be discussed, and there are links to track specific bills or view bills that have been passed. If your interests are more specific, you can find a clickable calendar with committee meeting agendas here.

Visiting the Capitol

If you plan on heading up to the Capitol for an event or just to visit, check out our directions and parking information. Other useful pages include information on scheduling your own event,  taking a tour, or photographing the Capitol. Not sure where to go once you're in the building? A map of the Capitol buildings and grounds can be found here.

Keeping Yourself Updated

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State Capitol Visitors Center Unveils New Exhibit

Photo courtesy of the Utah State Historical Society

SALT LAKE CITY—One hundred years ago, a lumbering steam shovel bit into winter-cold soil on a hill just north of Salt Lake City. It was December 26, 1912, and Utah’s state capitol was finally being built—65 years after the arrival of the first pioneers and 16 years after Utah attained statehood. 

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the construction of the Utah State Capitol, the Capitol Preservation Board is pleased to present a new Visitors Center exhibit, Step Back in Time: A Centennial Celebration of the Capitol Construction. Using a collection of striking historic photographs, this new exhibit breathes life into the fascinating stories behind the planning and construction of the Capitol.

“We are thrilled to provide a unique and educational opportunity for all Capitol visitors to experience the vibrant history of this wonderful building,” said Allyson Gamble, executive director of the Capitol Preservation Board.

The exhibit opens on January 24, and will be on view weekdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. On January 24, at 10:30 a.m., a special presentation will formally welcome the public to the exhibit.

Admission to Step Back in Time is free. Digital images used in the reproduction of the exhibit’s historical photographs were provided courtesy of the University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library, the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the Utah State Historical Society, and the Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum.

For more information, please contact 801-538-1800 or showard [at] utah [dot] gov.

New Exhibit: People of Utah, 1892-2011

The Capitol Preservation Board is pleased to announce a new exhibit from the State of Utah Fine Art Collection/Utah Arts Council. The exhibit, located on the fourth floor of the Capitol, features a selection of portraits from the Collection. More than appropriate in the “People’s House,” these artworks reflect a beautifully diverse sampling of the people and artists of Utah

The State Fine Art Collection, also known as the Alice Art Collection, was initiated by Representative Alice Merrill Horne who served in the 3rd Utah Legislature in 1899. She sponsored the legislation that created the Utah Art Institute, now known as the Utah Division of Art and Museums, the first state-sponsored arts organization in the United States.

About the Artists

For more information about the featured artists and their works, please visit the exhibit webpage.

This exhibit is provided courtesy of the State of Utah Fine Art Collection/Utah Arts Council. Now through July 11, 2013, on the fourth floor of the Capitol. Admission is free. For hours and more information, please visit our website.

Holiday Choir Performances at the Utah State Capitol

Courtesy of t.spang at Flickr

This year, enjoy the holiday season at the Capitol by catching one (or more) of the many upcoming choir performances. During the month of December, choirs and professional choral groups perform in the echoing expanse of the Capitol rotunda. Whether accompanied by piano or sung a cappella, these performers are sure to please.

Thursday, Dec. 6
Preston High School, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Toole High School, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 7
Ability and Choice Services Choir, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Dixie High School, 3:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 12
Paradigm High School, 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 14
Butler Middle School, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

Murray High School, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. 

Pine View High School, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. 

Hurricane High School, 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 21
Snow Canyon Choir, 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Hark and the Holly Berries, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

In the Capitol Gallery: Threads of the Silk Road

The history of the Silk Road is filled with legendary explorers, wandering armies, pilgrims, spies, merchants, and mercenaries. Its vast 7000-mile network of trade routes from China to the Mediterranean existed for almost 2000 years, connecting the Far East to Europe. This collection of evocative photographs by Edgar Gomez-Palmieri, along with a selection of hats and headdresses, depicts surviving remnants of this great ancient highway and descendants of the historic peoples along its route.

About the Artist

Edgar Gomez-Palmieri worked in Asia as the director of international outreach for the Utah-based Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation. During his travels, he took thousands of photographs along the ancient caravan paths known as the Silk Road, from China through the Near East to Europe.

This exhibit is supported in part by Zions First National Bank, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. Now through December 20, 2012, on the fourth floor of the Capitol. Admission is free. Visit our website or call 801-538-1800 for more details.

Martha Hughes Cannon: First female senator in U.S.

News reports from yesterday’s election indicate that a record number of women will be serving in the U.S. Senate in 2013. But did you know that one of the first U.S. political barriers to be broken by a woman happened right here in Utah?

In 1896, Martha Hughes Cannon was the first women to be elected to a state senate seat in the United States. Born in Wales in 1857, “Mattie” came to Salt Lake with her family in 1861. Mattie had great ambition and determination, working as a schoolteacher and typesetter in order to earn money for college. She received a degree in chemistry from the University of Deseret in 1875, and she went on to attend medical school at the University of Michigan. In 1882, she received a degree in pharmacy from the Auxiliary School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. She also studied oratory, with the goal of becoming a strong public speaker on issues of health.

Mattie returned to Salt Lake City after graduation, where she worked as a resident physician of Deseret Hospital. Mattie was also actively involved in local politics, particularly on the issues of public health and women’s suffrage. In 1896, the same year Utah attained statehood, Mattie ran for state senate on the Democratic ticket. She was one of five Democrats running from Salt Lake County; her husband, Angus M. Cannon, was among the Republicans running for the same seat. Mattie won the election on Nov. 3, 1896, and she served two terms as a strong advocate for children’s welfare and public health.

For more information on Mattie’s fascinating life, please visit Utah History to Go and KUED.