AGP Executive Report

Live Music: Nearly 20,000 fans saw Phoebe Bridgers at Salt Lake City’s Delta Center without their phones, sealed in pouches for the show. The screen-free setup made the music and lighting feel more immediate. Public Art: Ogden’s Dumke Arts Plaza will unveil French artist elparo’s spiraling wooden sculpture, “La Vrille,” on Oct. 29. It’s his first U.S. installation. Meanwhile, Salt Lake City International Airport marked the end of its 12-year rebuild with Gordon Huether’s suspended artwork of 2,500 colorful miniature planes. Utah Film: Provo’s FilmQuest is looking to grow as Sundance leaves Utah, with the festival spotlighting Utah-made films including the motocross thriller “Whiskey Throttle.” Theater: Pioneer Theatre Company opens its 65th anniversary season with “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Public Art: French artist elparo’s spiraling wooden sculpture is taking shape at Ogden’s Dumke Arts Plaza. “La Vrille,” his first U.S. installation, opens Oct. 29 and will be on view through April 9. Utah Film: Provo’s FilmQuest is looking to attract more filmmakers as Sundance leaves Utah. The genre festival opened its 13th edition this week, building on a run of top short-film winners that went on to earn Oscars. Local Music: St. George native Michael Glauser is trading Hollywood auditions for songwriting and performances as Morgan Tyler Vizsla, shaping a country-rock sound rooted in Southern Utah. Stage: Utah State University Opera Theatre will stage a French retelling of “Cinderella,” while Pioneer Theatre Company opens its 65th season with “Little Shop of Horrors.” Entertainment Business: Bose has acquired Park City-based Skullcandy, bringing the headphone brand access to Bose audio technology.

Utah Film: Provo’s FilmQuest opened its 13th festival Thursday, drawing filmmakers to Velour Live Music Gallery. As Sundance prepares to leave Utah, organizers see a chance to raise FilmQuest’s profile; its past three top-prize short films went on to win Oscars. Sundance: The Institute’s Directors Lab is returning to Sundance Mountain Resort, and Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw’s foundation has pledged $3 million to support the organization. Live Arts: Salt Lake City’s Eccles Theater marked 10 years as a cultural destination, with more than 2,000 events and 2.7 million visitors. Pioneer Theatre Company opens its 65th season with “Little Shop of Horrors.” Utah Brands: Bose acquired Park City-founded Skullcandy, which will remain a separate brand with its headquarters in Utah. Concerts: Def Leppard and the Goo Goo Dolls are set to play Salt Lake City’s Delta Center on March 31.

Utah Music: 2hollis will kick off his biggest headline tour in Salt Lake City in February, ahead of his album Pirouette, due Nov. 11. Metal band Nekrogoblikon is also set to play The Depot on Nov. 8. On Stage: Utah State University Opera Theatre brings a French-language Cinderella retelling to Logan Nov. 21–Dec. 5. In Salt Lake City, Pioneer Theatre Company opens its 65th anniversary season with Little Shop of Horrors, while contemporary play Witch makes its local premiere. Park City Audio: Bose acquired Skullcandy, which will keep its Park City headquarters and operate as its own brand. Sundance Support: Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw’s Hearthland Foundation donated $3 million to the Sundance Institute.

Theater: Pioneer Theatre Company opens its 65th anniversary season with Little Shop of Horrors on Friday, running through Nov. 7. A new Salt Lake City production of Witch also brings contemporary theater to local audiences. Live Events: First Presbyterian Church’s free Scottish Festival and Kirkin’ o’ th’ Tartan returns Saturday, with family activities and a Salt Lake Scots Pipe Band concert. Concerts: Nearly 20,000 fans saw Phoebe Bridgers at the Delta Center Wednesday in a phone-free show, with sealed pouches helping make the performance feel more intimate. Utah Arts: Sundance Institute received a $3 million gift from Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw’s Hearthland Foundation. Local Industry: Bose acquired Park City-born Skullcandy, expanding its reach in consumer audio.

Sundance: Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw’s foundation is giving the Institute $3 million for its feature film program, a return of the Directors Lab at Sundance Mountain Resort and artist grants. The Institute also named Tracy Brady its marketing and communications chief as it prepares to move the festival from Park City to Boulder in 2027. Utah-Born Audio: Bose has acquired Park City-based Skullcandy, which will remain a separate brand headquartered in Utah. Concerts: Queens of the Stone Age’s 2027 North American tour includes a Salt Lake City stop, with Pixies and Wheelchair Sports Camp supporting. Rapper-producer 2Hollis is also set for a Feb. 5 show at Rockwell at the Complex. Southern Utah Events: Halloween attractions and family activities are on this weekend in Washington, St. George and Cedar City. Dance: After two decades leading Ballet West, artistic director Adam Sklute is preparing for his final curtain call.

Utah Audio: Bose has acquired Park City-founded Skullcandy, which will remain a separate brand headquartered in Kimball Junction. Bose says the deal builds on their product partnership and will help Skullcandy reach more listeners. Stage & Theater: SUU professor Lisa Quoresimo’s queer modern adaptation of Persuasion gets a New York reading Oct. 23 with Broadway performers. SUU’s Alice in Wonderland-themed Spook Alley runs Oct. 22–23. Local Arts: North Sanpete High School’s theater department took top honors at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, while a new Moab museum exhibit explores how residents came to call the area home. Screen: Wildwood, a dark, stop-motion fantasy from LAIKA, earns a strong review for its emotional adventure and richly imagined world. Utah TV: The latest Real Housewives of Salt Lake City recap follows Mary’s attempt to bring the divided group back together after off-camera tensions.

Theater: North Sanpete High School’s theater department won top honors at the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s statewide competition, taking first-place Sweepstakes and awards for ensemble and duo/trio scenes. Utah Art: Artist Greg Olsen and Shadow Mountain Publishing release The Complete Paintings on Oct. 27, gathering more than 300 works from his 50-year career, including never-before-published pieces. Live Music: The Larry Smith Kicks Band brings jazzman Sammy Nestico’s big-band arrangements to a free Oct. 27 concert at Utah State University, with vocalist Terresa Shreve. Ballet West: Artistic director Adam Sklute is preparing for his final curtain call after 20 years rebuilding the company; the troupe’s latest Dracula revival also honors its history with tributes and farewell bows. Film: CineMOAB invites filmmakers to make a short film for screening at Moab’s Star Hall on Nov. 21.

Film: CineMOAB’s Moab Moviemakin’ contest is open to short-film teams, with entries due Nov. 16 and a screening at Star Hall on Nov. 21. Dance: Ballet West’s “Dracula” season brings a blood drive into focus, alongside the story of longtime rehearsal director Pamela Robinson’s leukemia battle and the blood donations that helped sustain her. Live Music: Thrash-metal band Forbidden brings its comeback tour to Salt Lake City’s Urban Lounge on Oct. 25. Utah on Screen: A new look at the state’s horror-film legacy counts 78 scary thrillers filmed in Utah, including “Halloween 4” and “Halloween 5.” Arts Leadership: Sundance Institute has named Tracy Brady its chief marketing, brand and communications officer.

Sundance Shift: The institute named Tracy Brady its chief marketing, brand and communications officer as it prepares to move the festival from Park City to Boulder in 2027. Utah Music: Koe Wetzel and Ella Langley’s “That’s Why We Fight” duet at RedWest Festival in Utah is going viral. GWAR and horror host Joe Bob Briggs also announced a Salt Lake City stop at Rockwell at The Complex on Nov. 13. Onstage: Ballet West’s revival of “Dracula” carries special significance, with tributes and final bows as artistic director Adam Sklute prepares to leave after 20 years. Utah State’s theater program is also putting a contemporary spin on Wendy Darling’s story. Local Culture: Logan’s Sagebrush Highland Games return Oct. 24, bringing Scottish athletic traditions back to the city for the first time in nearly 20 years. Park City is also looking to create new events as it faces Sundance’s departure.

Park City Film: A new HERizon film and wellness festival is building community around women’s stories as Sundance prepares to leave for Boulder. Its Oct. 26 “Night with Dolly” screening of Steel Magnolias will raise money for children’s literacy in Utah. Ballet West: The company’s revival of Ben Stevenson’s Dracula opens Oct. 23 and runs through Halloween at the Capitol Theatre, with more than 50 dancers, special effects and tributes tied to the production’s legacy. Theater: Utah State University presents three readings of Lost Girl, Kimberly Belflower’s bittersweet sequel to Peter Pan, on Oct. 23–24. Moab Events: Magician Rick Boretti has two very different shows this week, including a benefit for Seekhaven, while the Moab Museum opens an exhibition built around local migration stories. Southern Utah Art: St. George’s new City Hall will host the free “I ❤️ Art” celebration Nov. 12, featuring local artists, live music and artwork for sale.

Live Music: Garth Brooks told his Salt Lake City crowd he’d be “crazy” not to open a future tour here. Kacey Musgraves, also recently at the Delta Center, said fans with different political views are welcome at her shows. Ballet: Ballet West artistic director Adam Sklute will leave after the 2026–27 season, ending a 19-year run that helped rebuild the company and expand its education program. Campus Arts: The University of Utah’s free Festival of Cultures launches Homecoming Week with spoken word and performances by student groups, including the Hula Club and Drag Club. Film: As Sundance prepares to leave Park City, local organizers are looking at creating another festival. Books: The first Salt Lake Book Festival will feature a Utah author whose novel was banned from public schools. Halloween: Southern Utah’s week ahead includes haunted attractions and family events in Washington, St. George and Cedar City.

Utah Reality TV: “Sister Wives” star Meri Brown says her beliefs have changed and that it’s OK to pivot, reflecting on life in her Utah home and the personal struggles viewers have seen. Park City’s Next Act: As the city faces life after Sundance, organizers are pitching another film festival, while Park City’s X Games League team prepares to make its mark in Utah. Book Festival: A Utah author whose novel was banned from public schools will headline Salt Lake City’s first-ever book festival. Fall Traditions: A decades-old Utah Halloween tradition is drawing thousands, offering a homegrown seasonal attraction.

Downtown Arts and Culture: Salt Lake City’s first $14.5 million phase for the Rio Grande district includes new roads, an arts alley and a planned festival street—early steps toward a more active downtown arts hub. Park City Festivals: With Sundance preparing to leave Utah after its 2026 edition, Park City is looking to stage another festival, while the Snow League brings its debut to town in January. Books and Ideas: A Salt Lake book festival will welcome an author whose novel was banned from Utah public schools, putting censorship and literary freedom in the spotlight. New Venues: Snowbasin’s Meadow Pavilion opens as a gathering and event space for the coming ski season.

Park City’s Film Future: With Sundance preparing to leave Utah after its 2026 festival, Park City Film is looking at ways to grow its year-round indie-film presence and help fill the gap. New Downtown Vision: Smith Entertainment Group and Salt Lake City leaders have unveiled updated plans for a downtown sports and entertainment district. Action Sports: Park City’s X Games League team is building a local identity ahead of its first winter season in 2027, aiming to connect fans with top athletes. Books & Arts: Salt Lake City’s first Book Festival brought authors, artists and independent booksellers to The Gateway, with Jodi Picoult headlining. In St. George, a new City Hall Plaza pairs public art by Utah artists with gardens and gathering spaces.

Public Art: St. George’s new City Hall Plaza pairs gathering spaces with local sculptures and a Japanese-inspired zen garden honoring the city’s sister relationship with Ibigawa. Books & Ideas: Author Jodi Picoult headlines Salt Lake City’s first Book Festival at The Gateway on Saturday; the festival is free, though her talk at West High requires a ticket. Game-Day Spectacle: Provo hosts No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 8 BYU in a top-10 showdown at LaVell Edwards Stadium, kicking off at 5:30 p.m. MT on ABC. Halloween Tradition: North Logan’s 43-year-old Pumpkin Walk returns to Elk Ridge Park with an “All-American Pumpkins” theme and displays open Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. Downtown Plans: Smith Entertainment Group has unveiled fresh renderings for a proposed Salt Lake City sports and entertainment district, offering a new look at its vision for downtown.