Last night the Orem Care Tax Citizen Advisory Commission, Councilmember Dave Spencer, and myself met. We were there to listen to presentations from some members of various arts groups who were applying for grants from the Orem Care Tax.
The Orem Care tax funds are used each year to help sponsor and fund various recipients in the arts community of Orem.
The presentations were well prepared and were excellent. The money is used specifically to help fund operational expenses of the different organizations.
The Care tax covers expenses for major grants to the SCERA Theater, the Hale Theater Foundation, and the Utah Metropolitan Ballet.
It also covers mid major and mini grants to the Utah Baroque Ensemble, the Utah Lyric Opera, the Grassroots Shakespeare Company, the Colonial Heritage Foundation, the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Cantorum Chamber Choir, the Orem Chorale, the Roots of Freedom Foundation, the Utah Storytelling Guild, the Chauntenette Women's Chorus, the Center Stage Performing Arts Studio, the Utah Valley Civic Ballet, Wasatch Contemporary Dance, Love Dance More, Freedom Vehicles, and Witness Music.
These organizations to qualify have to perform in Orem. Many of them are based in Orem and use Orem residents for their actors, dancers, and musicians. Many of the
performances
for the mini grant organizations perform at the Orem Library and at many of the high, jr. high, and elementary schools in Orem.
It was a great evening. I am so impressed with the talent, effort, and hard work of those who applied. Often most of the people performing are volunteers and the Care Tax money helps pay for the organizational and operating costs.
It was a spirited discussion after the presentations. Many on the commission are passionate about the arts and what is presented in Orem. We love the quality of the Arts in Orem.
We are so lucky to have organizations that perform through song, dance, ballet, theater, and story telling to the residents and families of Orem. They provide the means for many to express their talents, for us as viewers to be lifted up and take us to new heights, and for many to feel the joy and be touched with experiences that take us to different sphere from our daily lives.
It truly is worth the effort to support and promote the arts in Orem to help all come together and be better people for it.
Its all worth it.
Mayor Brunst
