CREATE PC: Bringing More Creative Community to Kearns Blvd
On Display: Karen Kendall and Alexandra Jicol
On Display: Kati Gyulassy triptych and Nina Miller
Shared communities have long been recognized as crucial environments that spark innovation and foster artistic excellence. Every artistic movement throughout history, from impressionism to surrealism to postmodernism, has been the result of creative exchange and collaboration by artists who collectively generate new ways of thinking about our shared humanity and the world we live in.
Artists Karen Kendall & Mitch Bedke hang art
This winter, the Arts Council brings to Summit County a space that will foster just such a creative milieu. CREATE PC, a program long favored by local artists and art enthusiasts, will open its doors as a gallery and year-round artist studio. This local artist collective will allow Summit County artists to build community among themselves, as well as cultivate connection through Arts & Culture for the greater community.
Artists who participated in past CREATE PC spaces have echoed this sentiment, proclaiming the importance of having a local community space in which to gather and create. Artist Emily Quinn-Loughlin says her involvement in CREATE PC has “provided a community within which I have been able to connect with and learn from other local artists and makers, many of whom have become mentors and friends…the events, structure, and support the Arts Council provides our community have been transformative for me personally and I believe for the community at large. I am so grateful for all the work they do!”
The Arts Council is the only nonprofit organization offering this type of programming, responding to a gap in our community to provide local artists with dedicated exhibition and maker spaces.
On Display: Nina Miller, Juanita Marshall. and Kati Gyulassy
“The Arts Council has offered the CREATE PC model in various pop-up locations since 2019,” says Jocelyn Scudder, Executive Director of the Arts Council of Park City & Summit County. “Having a consistent space at 1500 Kearns will help us continue our mission to support local artists, giving them a home, a gathering space, and opportunities to create and sell original work.” The new space is located just blocks away from Arts Council partner, Kimball Art Center, and the proposed new arts hub, Bonanza Park.
Programs such as CREATE PC have an especially significant impact on young and emerging creatives; as local artist Emily Miquelon puts it, “the CREATE PC project has been such an influential opportunity for the growth of my artwork and business. It has built my confidence in my skills and significantly widened the reach of those who see my work. The collective is also a space to connect and engage with other artists establishing an inspiring and sustainable community of creatives within Summit County.”
By providing a space for artists to gather and create, the Arts Council is strengthening the cultural impact of local artists in Summit County. Opportunities such as CREATE PC empower artists to hone their craft, overcome challenges, and thrive in a nurturing environment. By providing a shared gallery, the Arts Council aims to establish a cultural hub that generates greater economic stability for local artists. The artistic community is a contributor to the local economy through exhibitions, festivals, and the sale of artwork. The incredible quality of life we enjoy in Summit County is further evidence of the value of a flourishing creative ecosystem, strengthened by local support of the Arts & Culture sector.
The CREATE PC Gallery, located at 1500 Kearns, Unit F110 (behind Tupelo), will officially launch on January 18, with a Grand Opening Party set for Thursday, February 1 from 5 to 8pm.
The Arts Council of Park City & Summit County is currently seeking Summit County visual artists to participate in its CREATE PC Gallery Program for the Winter/Spring 2024 Exhibition. To apply for CREATE PC click here.
CREATE PC will run throughout the year with multiple opportunities for local artists to exhibit artwork. The CREATE PC Gallery will provide rotating exhibits as well as open studio nights and gallery stroll events. Artists will have the opportunity to sell artwork at CREATE PC, with options to apply for future exhibits.