We present, with great pleasure and for the benefit of all, the twenty-first annual Living Traditions Festival. By means of this public celebration, the community comes together to share the customs – in music, dance, foods and crafts – of Salt Lake Valley’s diverse ethnic groups. Through these traditions passed down through generations, ethnic communities perpetuate themselves and individuals develop a strong sense of their own identity.
Local ethnic artists -- craftspeople, dancers, musicians, and chefs -- are at the heart of Living Traditions. They present for us the techniques, styles, tools, and materials that are used in their respective artforms, some centuries old. We add to the experience by bringing featured guest artists to perform, presenting musical styles that may not be indigenous to Salt Lake.
In this way, we recognize the contributions that artists who preserve cultural traditions make in every community, just as our traditional artists contribute to the rich diversity of life in the Salt Lake Valley.
We hope you learn about and enjoy the experience of contemporary ethnic arts here at Living Traditions. And we invite you to join us, in a spirit of mutual respect and understanding, in celebrating Salt Lake’s cultural diversity.
