The Arts Council of Park City and Summit County celebrates 40 years in 2026 with an '80s prom-themed party on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at CREATE PC.

The anniversary event runs from 4 to 8 p.m. at the local artist collective's space at 1500 Kearns Blvd., Suite F110, in Park City. The evening will feature music, trivia, art, food and drinks, according to the Arts Council's website.

Founded in 1986, the Arts Council has spent four decades helping strengthen arts funding, establish public art advisory boards and support cultural organizations across the region. Executive Director Jocelyn Scudder, who took the helm in 2019, said the milestone is a chance to celebrate the people who built the organization and shaped the local creative scene.

The party also comes as the Arts Council rolls out a new 10-year Arts & Culture Master Plan. The Summit County Council unanimously adopted the plan in January, as first reported by the Park Record. The Park City Council also adopted it in 2026, according to the Arts Council.

Thirty stakeholders from organizations including Mountain Town Music, Park City Film and the Egyptian Theatre worked with Ohio-based consulting firm Designing Local to develop the plan. Summit County and Park City staff sat on the committee, along with Coalville City Councilor Lynn Wood.

The plan has three sections. "Arts in the everyday" means residents can engage with art throughout Summit County without attending a specific event, Scudder told the County Council. She pointed to the moose statue at the Jeremy Ranch roundabout as an example.

The plan also calls for a public art strategy ahead of the 2034 Winter Olympics. Scudder said the Games offer a chance to showcase local artists and museums to international audiences.

"This would probably look like working with Ogden City Arts, the Wasatch County Arts Council and the Salt Lake City Arts Council, as they're all host cities, and we should all be talking to each other to make sure that arts are part of the planning process," Scudder told the County Council in January.

On funding, Scudder said the Arts Council's roughly $900,000 operating budget already receives contributions from Summit County and Park City. The emphasis going forward will be establishing a grant fund for cultural organizations and individual artists.

The Park City Council took a concrete step on June 4, when members discussed creating an arts manager position to carry out the master plan. The budget request was $65,000 for a full-time position, with Summit County matching that amount. Council Member Miller said arts are essential to strengthening the economy. The council supported adding the position to the budget.

The Arts Council is also exploring an artist-in-residency program that would use vacant workforce housing during off-seasons. Scudder said private developers expressed strong interest in the idea.

CREATE PC, where the Nov. 4 party will be held, started as a three-day pop-up in 2016. It has grown into a year-round space with studios, a retail gallery, professional development and community programming.

Upcoming community events:

  • Arts Council 40th Anniversary Party: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 4-8 p.m., CREATE PC, 1500 Kearns Blvd., Suite F110, Park City. '80s prom theme with music, trivia, art, food and drinks.