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Artes de México en Utah 

Founded in 2010, Artes de México en Utah fosters cultural understanding and community connection through arts programming rooted in Mexican and Latino heritage. Inspired by a unifying Utah Museum of Fine Arts exhibition during a tense political period, the organization now champions multicultural dialogue and representation across Utah. Its programs include Born from Corn, Sor Juana Poetry, LatinArte, filmexico, Escritores de Utah, and an Artist in Residence initiative, along with youth collaborations such as the Day of the Dead Festival. Under the direction of multidisciplinary artist Luis Novoa, the organization draws on muralism and public art traditions to empower communities. 

Cheryl Ann Cluff

Cheryl Ann Cluff, co‑founder and longtime Managing Director of Plan‑B Theatre, is a foundational figure in Salt Lake City’s grassroots theatre scene. Since 1991, she has guided the company with rare business acumen and artistic intuition, sustaining it through its earliest years and shaping its creative identity. A resident sound designer since 2000, she also originated and directs the long‑running RADIO HOUR series with KUER’s RadioWest. Cluff has directed numerous full productions and laid the groundwork for the thriving alternative theatre community that exists in Salt Lake City today. 

David Ericson

David Ericson, founder of David Ericson Fine Art, has been a central advocate for Utah art since the late 1970s. His early venue, Gallery 56, became known for its exceptional exhibitions of early Utah artists and praised for its consistent quality. Guided by the philosophy “collect what you love,” Ericson encourages thoughtful collecting and established a Lifetime Return Policy to support lasting patron relationships. He has served on numerous arts committees, appraised major collections, and managed estates of notable Utah artists. A self‑described “art nerd,” he is distinguished for his expertise in early Utah and Western art. 

Russel Albert Daniels 

Russel Albert Daniels is a documentary photographer and multidisciplinary artist illuminating overlooked histories of the American West, especially Indigenous experiences. His ongoing project La Cautiva explores colonial‑era captivity through portraiture and landscape, with its first chapter exhibited at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and the Eiteljorg Museum. From 2024 to 2026, the Tacoma Art Museum is presenting his work alongside Georgia O’Keeffe. Rooted in his Diné and Ho‑Chunk heritage, Daniels examines the complexities of Indigenous and settler identities. His photographs appear in major collections and his reportage spans Bears Ears, Standing Rock, Two‑Spirit identity, and climate impacts. 

Laura Allred Hurtado

Laura Allred Hurtado is the Executive Director of the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, where her curatorial and leadership work explores gender, belief, identity, and place. She has curated exhibitions in Utah and New York, including a Guerrilla Girls retrospective and collaborations with For Freedoms. Previously Global Acquisitions Art Curator for the Church History Museum, she advanced contemporary collecting and policy development. Since 2019, Hurtado has guided UMOCA through a financial and organizational transformation, launching a strategic plan, resolving debt, strengthening partnerships, and expanding digital outreach while championing contemporary art statewide.