BOUNTIFUL—Winning students throughout the county will have the opportunity to display their art at the annual Davis School District Art Show at the Bountiful Davis Art Center (BDAC) opening April 10. The juried competition highlights the best young artists for their skill and creativity. 

“This year we had about 673 submissions from 361 students in 6-12th grade,” said BDAC Executive Director, Sarina Erhgott. “Our guest juror Justin Wheatly accepted 126 works – about 30 of those are done by junior high students.”

Justin is well respected and fantastic, she said. “He’ll look at all the work and narrow it down to the winners. This year there will be cash awards and prizes. The kids are just excited to see their art on the wall.”

The opening reception for the DSD exhibition is April 10 at 6 p.m. and the show runs through May 16. “It’s going to be so packed,” Erhgott said. “We like to find and support young artists and help them with their careers. Winners will be announced at the reception. About a third of what is submitted will make it into the exhibition.”

Earlier in the day, Jack Hattaway will present, Art Talk, “Thresholds of Memory Trade” at 4:30 p.m. “It’s about memory and how it changes artwork. That’s super exciting.”

BDAC will host a curated exhibition featuring three artists that takes a look at classical art, art making over time and classical art work ideas of reflection, said Erhgott. “It’s the classicalness perspective of who we are in society.”

The front gallery is reserved for Utah’s emerging early artists, she said. “It brings curated ideas in artwork together to explore a theme.” 

Next is the statewide annual art competition, Erhgott said. “The curator selects the very, very best in the state. Typically around 60 but it can be less. It depends on the curator. Some look at skills, others technique, new media or cutting edge art. It’s the most amazing art in Utah.”

Another popular event is Summerfest, she said. “It’s been building momentum. This is the center’s 50-year anniversary.”

It changed with COVID, spreading it out over a few weeks, said Erhgott. “This year it will be Aug. 8-9. The public liked the old format of having it over a couple of days.”

Summerfest will feature cultural performers, with ethnic foods and food trucks, she said. “A lot of people don’t typically leave town. It’s free and open to the public with artists, booths, salsa dancing and Hawaiian lea making. Last year was wonderful so I hope we see an even bigger draw.” 

Workshops will be held every other weekend throughout the summer. “Calligraphy has been popular and there will be a Native America beading workshop,” Erhgott said. “Not only will they make beads, they will learn the symbolic meaning behind it.”

Erhgott said BDAC is opening a new area in an upstairs space. “It’s for the community. People can use it as a place to host small groups. We’re working with the city on that.”

Another exciting art program will be an intentional exhibition, she said. “It will transform the art center into a museum to make us a bigger player in the landscape in general.” 

The art center will still be community focused, said Erhgott. “It won’t lose that. It will create more efficiency in programming. We'll be looking for artists just starting out and discovering new artists. The gallery space will feature up and coming artists and encourage people who are new to art collecting pieces that will begin to gain value over time.”

“It highlights emerging and early career artists in our area,” she said. “I think it appeals to artists in Utah. They tend to leave for LA or New York where they have more opportunities. We’re hoping to create opportunities here.”

BDAC has ongoing classes for kids and adults, Erhgott said. “People can also use it for music recitals and classes with 100 or fewer can use our space. We’re also looking into performance art.”

 For more information about BDAC visit https://www.bdac.org/. BDAC is located at 90 N. Main Street, Bountiful.