Welcome, Kari and Kirsten!

We're delighted to welcome Kirsten Darrington as our new director at the Utah Division of Arts & Museums! Kirsten is an experienced arts administrator, grantmaker, and public servant with more than 15 years of experience strengthening Utah’s arts and cultural landscape. She currently serves as a program officer at the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, where she helps manage more than 400 grants annually for nonprofit organizations across the state. Kirsten previously served as director of Salt Lake County’s Zoo, Arts, & Parks Program, as well as assistant director of our agency back in 2013-16. Her professional background also includes work with Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, and the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Throughout her career, Kirsten has been dedicated to expanding access to the arts, supporting cultural organizations, and building collaborative partnerships that enrich communities throughout Utah. She holds a B.A. in arts administration from Westminster University and an MFA in arts administration from Southern Utah University. Kirsten lives in Taylorsville with her family and enjoys taking her kids to as many arts events as possible.

We’re happy to announce Kari Ross Nelson as our new Director of Museum Field Services and Lifelong Learning! Kari has been conducting research and evaluation as both a staff member and consultant for a number of organizations in the state, including Thanksgiving Point, Natural History Museum of Utah, Utah Historical Society, and our agency. Kari was raised in Santa Rosa, California, where she attended Santa Rosa Junior College before moving to Utah and attending Brigham Young University. She has an M.A. in museum studies from San Francisco State University, an M.S. in instructional psychology and technology from BYU, and a PhD in instructional technology and learning sciences from Utah State University. Kari began her career working in acquisitions at a university library. After several years as a museum educator, she shifted focus to research and evaluation. Says Kari, “My first love is spending time with my family. I also enjoy knitting, gardening, going to new places, and checking out museums when I'm there! A couple of my favorites are the Petersen Automotive Museum in L.A. and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.”

NOTE: We’ve opened the recruitment for our next Museum Field Services Manager. Please visit the link below if you’re interested in applying. The application closes August 10.

Our friends at the Utah Museums Association invite all museums throughout the state to participate in the fourth annual Museum Month in July 2026. Museum Month is a public-facing campaign to raise awareness and visitation of Utah’s nearly 300 museums, zoos, gardens, heritage sites, and historical societies. Participation requires no special programming or activities, just the commitment to be open to the public during your posted hours.

Utah Humanities is accepting applications for their Oral History Grants. Receive up to $3,000 to support an oral history project. Draft applications are due August 1. This collaborative effort between Utah Humanities and the Utah Historical Society provides funding for projects that collect and transcribe oral history interviews and make the content available to Utah communities through live public programming. Recordings and transcripts will be deposited in the Utah Historical Society Collections.

Art Preservation Fund is a newly launched national initiative expanding access to conservation funding and expertise for museums, historical societies, archives, tribal organizations, and other 501(c)(3) collecting institutions across the United States. They are currently in the early stages of fundraising and organizational development, with plans to open their first grant application cycle in Fall 2026.

“The Pen Is Mightier: Writing a Revolution” is on display at the Hyrum Museum in Cache County through July 30, and at the Marysvale Historical Society Museum in Piute County through August 16. Visit the link below to learn more about how to host one of our Traveling Exhibition Program shows at your museum.