As an arts council and local arts agency for Park City and Summit County, our work centers around ensuring that arts and culture remain vibrant, well-supported, and integrated into the everyday life of our community. From individual artists to cultural institutions and creative businesses, the arts don’t just benefit our quality of life — they are an economic driver, a community builder, and a key to our region’s unique character.
That’s why we’re thrilled to support the Kimball Art Center’s decision to enter into a development agreement with Dakota Pacific to relocate to Kimball Junction. This move represents an exciting and forward-thinking step for one of our most important cultural institutions.
For years, the Kimball Art Center has sought to realize its vision for a new, purpose-built facility that will better serve its mission and the broader community. Thanks to this agreement, that vision is finally within reach. Dakota Pacific has agreed to donate 1.1 acres, part of a larger 1.62-acre site, demonstrating how private-public partnerships can directly benefit the cultural life of our region.
This collaboration exemplifies the kind of innovative thinking we need more of. It reflects a growing awareness that the arts are essential infrastructure — deserving of the same strategic planning and investment as housing, transportation, and open space.
Through our current Arts & Culture Master Planning process, we’ve heard clearly that one of the sector’s most pressing needs is sustainable funding and access to physical space. Partnering with private developers to create opportunities like this is an underutilized but powerful tool, and we hope this sets a new precedent for responsible, community-oriented development.
At the same time, we encourage city and county leaders to continue prioritizing creative venues and facilities within other key parcels, such as Park City’s 5-acre Bonanza site.
With our Create PC Local Artist Collective providing maker/studio space, public art initiatives, and community programming, the Arts Council Park City and Summit County is committed to working alongside local government, nonprofits, and the private sector to ensure creative spaces remain central to our region’s future, creating places where artists and residents can thrive.
This is a transformative opportunity for the Kimball Art Center to grow, expand its reach, and continue to anchor Park City’s cultural landscape for generations to come. We wholeheartedly support this next chapter and look forward to seeing the impact it will have on our community.
Let’s keep building a future where arts and culture are central to how we grow, plan, and thrive as a community.
Jocelyn Scudder
Executive Director, Arts Council of Park City & Summit County