Dear fellow artists of Salt Lake City:

Thinking of moving to San Francisco, are you? Do you believe you’ll finally get your “chance” in Los Angeles? How about your big shot in New York City? Maybe Vancouver, B.C.? Seattle? Well, I’m gonna do whatever I can to dissuade you from leaving, because Salt Lake City is on the verge of a renaissance and you’re going to miss out on something amazing if you leave now!

Chew on this: Imagine if you were in Hollywood in the ’20s! Or New York City— before it became New York City! Or Paris, just before the Bohemians.

Can you feel it? Salt Lake City is undergoing not only tangible changes downtown, but there’s a growing sensation that our city is nearing a critical mass of creativity! We have every resource we could possibly need along the Wasatch Front: helpful arts organizations, supportive community members, accessible venues and world-class arts education! We have an abundance of talent: designers, fashionistas, actors, musicians, filmmakers, producers and countless other visionaries. Why would you want to leave?

Stay! You’ve got great ideas that this city deserves to participate in and nourish to fruition! Let’s collaborate! Let’s show the world what Salt Lake City has to offer!

David Alder
Salt Lake City