UPCOMING EVENTS
SLC-33: The Hammer, The Nail
Once a month, we host an album review club here at the museum. Each Quarter we cover a local artist, a new release album, or a classic album off of Rollingstone’s top 500 albums. This month we will be hosting Logan James Hope, who will be answering questions about his album, The Hammer, The Nail.
Story Crossroads: Duke Ellington & Irving Berlin
In collaboration with Story Crossroads:
Storytelling Pairings: A Blended Celebration of American Legacy, honors twelve influential Americans whose lives and contributions helped shape our nation. Through paired presentations, we spotlight both Black and Caucasian leaders whose stories reflect courage, creativity, justice, innovation, and lasting cultural impact.
This Even Features: Duke Ellington (portrayed by George Brown), recognizing his influence as a jazz bandleader and composer who shaped American music; paired with Irving Berlin (portrayed by Karl Behling), celebrating his contributions as a composer of iconic American standards
Story Crossroads: Thurgood Marshall & Ruth Bader Ginsburg
In Collaboration with Story Crossroads:
Our project, Storytelling Pairings: A Blended Celebration of American Legacy, honors twelve influential Americans whose lives and contributions helped shape our nation. Through paired presentations, we spotlight both Black and Caucasian leaders whose stories reflect courage, creativity, justice, innovation, and lasting cultural impact.
This event will Feature: Thurgood Marshall (portrayed by Larenz Jordan), honoring his legacy as the first Black Supreme Court Justice and civil rights champion; paired with Ruth Bader Ginsburg (portrayed by Steffani Raff), honoring her lifelong commitment to justice and equality.
Story Crossroads: Aretha Franklin & Julia Ward Howe
In Collaboration with Story Crossroads:
Our project, Storytelling Pairings: A Blended Celebration of American Legacy, honors twelve influential Americans whose lives and contributions helped shape our nation. Through paired presentations, we spotlight both Black and Caucasian leaders whose stories reflect courage, creativity, justice, innovation, and lasting cultural impact.
This event will Feature: Aretha Franklin (portrayed by Betty Sawyer), celebrating her legacy as a civil rights icon and musical trailblazer; paired with Julia Ward Howe (portrayed by Holly Robison), honoring her work as a composer and abolitionist.
Story Crossroads: Booker T. Washington & John Adams
In Collaboration with Story Crossroads:
Our project, Storytelling Pairings: A Blended Celebration of American Legacy, honors twelve influential Americans whose lives and contributions helped shape our nation. Through paired presentations, we spotlight both Black and Caucasian leaders whose stories reflect courage, creativity, justice, innovation, and lasting cultural impact.
This event will Feature: Booker T. Washington (portrayed by Everett L.Spencer, The MESSENGER), recognizing his role in education and reform; paired with John Adams (portrayed by Jeff Driggs), recognizing his foundational role as a founding father and advocate for education.
Story Crossroads: Sojourner Truth & Susan B. Anthony
In Collaboration with Story Crossroads:
Our project, Storytelling Pairings: A Blended Celebration of American Legacy, honors twelve influential Americans whose lives and contributions helped shape our nation. Through paired presentations, we spotlight both Black and Caucasian leaders whose stories reflect courage, creativity, justice, innovation, and lasting cultural impact.
This event features: Sojourner Truth (portrayed by Charlotte Starks), honoring her abolitionist and women’s rights activism; paired with Susan B. Anthony (portrayed by Jan C. Smith), acknowledging her leadership in women’s suffrage and social reform.
Story Crossroads: Ida B. Wells & Emily Dickinson
In Collaboration with Story Crossroads:
Our project, Storytelling Pairings: A Blended Celebration of American Legacy, honors twelve influential Americans whose lives and contributions helped shape our nation. Through paired presentations, we spotlight both Black and Caucasian leaders whose stories reflect courage, creativity, justice, innovation, and lasting cultural impact.
This event features: Ida B. Wells (portrayed by Franque Bains), celebrated for her fearless investigative journalism and truth-telling, is paired with Emily Dickinson (portrayed by Janine Evans), the iconic poet whose innovative, introspective work reshaped American literature. Together, they embody the enduring power of the written word.
Salt Lake Art Museum Grand Opening
Pioneer Day
Friday, July 24, 2026
3:30 pm
Grand Opening Ceremony & Ribbon Cutting
On Pioneer Day, a new chapter begins. The Salt Lake Art Museum
opens its doors: a place dedicated entirely to Utah art and artists,
where history, landscape, and imagination come together. We
invite you to celebrate this moment with us as the museum
welcomes the public for the first time.
GUIDE TOURS FROM 4:00 – 7:00
4:00 pm | Albert Bierstadt
4:30 pm | Collector’s Gallery
5:00 pm | Love In Landscape
5:30 pm | Celebrating Temple B’nai Israel
6:00 pm | Pilar: The Beautiful Land of My Reality
4:00 – 8:00 pm | Photo Opportunity Stations
4:00 – 8:00 pm | Butterfly Art Making
Utah Master Series: Galina Perova
On November 14th at 7 PM, join us in honoring Galina Perova, a Russian-born painter who found her home in Utah. A graduate of the Repin Academy of Art in St. Petersburg, Perova earned both her M.F.A. and doctorate before becoming the latest inductee into the Salt Lake Art Museum’s Utah Masters series.
Hailed by NEVA magazine as “an artist who is always searching,” Perova focuses on realist works that explore landscape, portraiture, and the figure in a social context. Her paintings have been praised for being “full of drama, irony, and emotion.”
Utah Master Series: Stanley Wanlass
Join us on August 21st to celebrate Stanley Wanlass, an acclaimed sculptor, painter, and designer, as he’s inducted into the Salt Lake Art Museum’s Utah Masters Series. Known for his monumental bronzes and automotive art, Wanlass’ works—like Surf II and the Lewis & Clark series—capture history with dramatic flair. Enjoy a free interview and exhibition showcasing his creative philosophy and select pieces.
Yoga with Hallie Jensen at SLAM
Join certified yoga instructor Hallie Jensen for a 1-hour evening of mindful movement and breathwork at the Salt Lake Art Museum on June 20th at 6pm—bring your mat and RSVP via the link to save your spot!
Ben Hammond On Composition
On May 22, join us in honoring one of Utah’s most important artists: Ben Hammond, sculptor of national monuments—including the recent statue of Martha Hughes Cannon in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda—and inductees of the National Football League’s Hall of Fame. Hammond is the first artist inducted into the Salt Lake Art Museum’s Utah Masters series, a distinction reserved for the state’s most accomplished and visionary artists.
For the occasion, Hammond has agreed to deliver a rare public lecture titled “Composition,” exploring his creative process and philosophy. The talk will be accompanied by a small exhibition of Hammond’s sculptures and working methods.
This event marks the first public event of the Salt Lake Art Museum. While admission is free, seats require reservation and are expected to fill quickly. (For those unable to attend, a recording will be available on the Museum’s website afterward.)