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This Christmas, I Gave You My Art
Give the gift of creativity to find holiday peace.
By Scott Renshaw

There are many different ways to address tensions between family members over the holidays, but do you know what one of the most effective can be? Sharing an experience together—and it helps when that experience is shared in silence.

That's where the gift of the arts comes in. Whether sitting in a theater together, finding a book that keeps someone engrossed or heading to an exhibit, you can support the creative community of Utah while also supporting your own emotional health. Here are a few pointers in the right direction.

Movies: The pandemic broke the "going out to the movies" habit for a lot of people, but two hours of silence in the dark has both aesthetic and pragmatic value. Salt Lake Film Society (slfs.org) offers multiple tiered options for annual membership to their Red Carpet Club, including $60 for multiple admission and concessions discounts, $600 for several free admissions and guest discounts, and $1,500 that includes complimentary admission for two to any regular screening plus VIP events. If your gift recipient's cinematic tastes run to the more multiplex conventional, Megaplex Theaters (megaplextheatres.com) offers gift cards for purchase in any amount for use at its multiple Utah locations whenever that perfect new release turns up.

Live Performance: The live theater scene in Utah is extraordinary—and so extraordinarily varied that it's almost impossible not to find something that folks can enjoy together regardless of their other differences. Pioneer Theatre Co. (pioneertheatre.org) is among those that offer gift certificates in any amount, good for five years from the date of purchase (subject to seating availability). If you already know that something on this season's calendar looks appealing—like maybe A Christmas Story: The Musical or the Stephen Sondheim revue Putting It Together—you can buy tickets now from $46 - $72 per seat. Hale Centre Theatre (hct.org) also offers gift certificates for performances at its Sandy-based theater, and the offerings include family-friendly favorites like Newsies, Elf: The Musical and the annual holiday production of A Christmas Carol.

For other companies offering tickets for upcoming productions, try Salt Lake Acting Co.(saltlakeactingcompany.org), Plan-B Theatre Co. (planbtheatre.org) and Pygmalion Productions (pygmalionproductions.org).

And for an even wider range of options, ArtTix (arttix.org)—the ticket-selling arm for Salt Lake County facilities including the Eccles Theater, Rose Wagner Center and Capitol Theatre—also offers gift certificates in any amount, which can then be used for options like dance, Utah Symphony, touring Broadway productions and music headliners.

If you really want to lighten the mood, give the gift of comedy. Wiseguys Comedy Club (wiseguyscomedy.com) offers gift certificates in $25 increments, good for tickets to their roster of great touring headliner comedians, plus food and drink while enjoying the show.

Literary: Never underestimate the power of a great book to provide serenity, whether for yourself or for others. The King's English Bookshop (kingsenglish.com) remains one of the great locally owned booksellers, and a great place to place an order if you already know what that person on your list is looking for. If you prefer to keep things more open-ended, you can get a gift card for a value from $10 - $200, which never expire or lose value. Weller Book Works (wellerbookworks.com) is a similarly fine location to order the books you have in mind; for gift purposes, you can order an online code to make a purchase through their website. If you know someone who might like to be surprised, and you want to make an even more concerted effort to support the local arts community, check out the League of Utah Writers (leagueofutahwriters.com) to find out about Utah-based writers and shop from their online store.

Experiences: Many of Utah's museums, galleries and arts organizations offer unique ways to share an experience, with plenty of options for time commitment and personal tastes. The Leonardo (theleonardo.org) offers several variations on its "Art Through Experience" immersive shows, on topics ranging from Van Gogh, to the Italian Renaissance, to the Impressionists; tickets are $17 - $30 per person for the hour-long shows that teach about the works of legendary artists while surrounding you with their images. Utah Arts Alliance's Dreamscapes (utaharts.org/en/dreamscapes) also provides an immersive arts experience at their Sandy location, including imaginative physical and digital creations; tickets are $14.99 - $19.99 per person. The Utah Museum of Natural History (umnh.utah.edu) presents permanent exhibits with remarkable history about the peoples, animals and environments of this state throughout its existence, plus fascinating short-term exhibits like the current Angkor: Empire of Cambodia; all are included in admission ranging from $14.95 - $19.95.

Here's to finding joy and comfort in the beauty, insight and laughter that comes from art. And to finding unexpected connections when you share that beauty, insight and laughter with others.