City Weekly Best of Utah 2022

Best of Utah 2022: Arts & Culture

21 reader-voted winners in arts & culture, from the City Weekly Best of Utah 2022 poll.

Ask Ave: What won Best of Utah 2022 for Arts & Culture

• Best Art GalleryUrban Arts Gallery

  A shout-out to the donated time and spaces that keep this gallery going. Volunteer artists and curators (artist Jimmi Toro and guest curator/artist Essie Shaw, just for starters) have… — Runners-up: Phillips Gallery, The Local Artisan Collective

• Best Dance ClubMilk+

  Walking into Milk+ is like stepping onto the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. It's cavernous. But at the same time, there's a welcoming, almost intimate, vibe. “We have the best crowds… — Runners-up: Area 51, The Exchange by Twist

• Best Dance CompanyBallet West

  As dancer Lucas Horns said, “Ballet West is a result of the commitment Salt Lakers have to uplifting quality art—nowhere else do you find such a world-class ballet company in a relatively… — Runners-up: Odyssey Dance Theatre, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Co.

• Best FM Radio ShowRadio From Hell, X96

  The trio of Kerry Jackson, Gina Barberi and Bill Allred remain a longtime linchpin of the rock powerhouse X96, which is, itself, fresh off a 30-year-anniversary. The group's wit, chemistry… — Runners-up: KRCL 90.9's RadioACTive with Lara Jones, KUER 90.1's RadioWest with Doug Fabrizio

• Best Friend of the ArtsUtah Arts Alliance

  All artists know exposure is key to success: Many offer it, but few actually deliver it. UAA Connect is a free event expanding all over Utah. Artists can participate in a monthly event with… — Runners-up: Salt Lake County ZAP, Ogden City Arts

• Best LiteraryStart to Your Tuesday

  Weller Book Works Breakfast Club Not all of us are morning people; sometimes it takes a little something extra to get that brain into a galloping gear. So why not kick off your day with a…

• Best Literary Support GroupLeague of Utah Writers

  Every budding artist needs a helping hand now and then—and not even necessarily financially. From novices to established professionals, writers often want to emerge from the solitary nature…

• Best Local PodcastCityCast Salt Lake

  Salt Lake City is popping, and increasingly drawing the attention of national brands and business ventures. That can result in some ham-fisted attempts to appear “local,” but the CityCast… — Runners-up: Brigham Young Money, Mormon Stories

• Best Movie TheaterBrewvies Cinema Pub

  The idea of a movie theater serving drinks isn't a revolutionary one, as the national success of Alama Drafthouse proves. But it's a pleasure to see local and regional movie houses employ… — Runners-up: Broadway Centre Cinemas, Megaplex Theatres at Jordan Commons

• Best MuralistShae Petersen (SRIL)

  SRIL cut his teeth making street art and has since created the biggest murals in Salt Lake City. He's arguably one of the most recognized and sought-after muralists in the Western United… — Runners-up: Trent Call, Josh Scheuerman

• Best MuseumNatural History Museum of Utah

  The copper-clad building is an architectural wonder seated high on the east bench overlooking Salt Lake. It features exhibits and artifacts, including Utah's paleontology discoveries. One… — Runners-up: The Leonardo, Utah Black History Museum

• Best New Arts and Culture DistrictCreative Industries Zone in South Salt Lake

  South Salt Lake is changing a lot, and most apparently with the arts. It's Creative Industries Zone—between 2100 South and 3000 South along West Temple between State Street and Trax—is home…

• Best New Comedian IntroductionWiseguys Lake City Showcase

  In the liminal space between “open-mic tryouts” and “headliner gig,” there's a long road for stand-up comedians to get better, and get known by the local community. Wiseguys' long history…

• Best New Theater HubThe Box and the Box Too at The Gateway

  In the clash between “high culture” and “low culture,” the idea of a “mall” has long been connected with the latter. So as The Gateway has evolved in recent years, it has been fascinating…

• Best Parenting PodcastFamily

  Looking Up Perhaps the greatest reason why the Family Looking Up podcast snagged first place was the fact that it offers a balanced perspective on parenthood. It's a podcast that recognizes… — Runners-up: The Mom Show With Lindsay Aerts, Healthy Kids Zone

• Best Political Social-Media InfluencerPat Bagley

  Editorial cartoonist Pat Bagley has long demonstrated the superiority of the pen—and drawing pencil—over the sword with his work in The Salt Lake Tribune that so effectively reduces Utah… — Runners-up: Health care advocate Shireen Ghorbani, Fox 13 reporter Ben Winslow

• Best Social-Media Follow forKid-Friendly Activities

  @hoglezoo Not only does Hogle Zoo's Instagram page feature updates and live video about all of our favorite zoo buddies, but it's also a great place for parents to line up something fun and… — Runners-up: @saltproject.co, @utahwithkids

• Best Social-Media MomstagramTried and

  True Moms Utah momstagram can be hit and miss, but the team of Sissy Wilkinson and Heidi Hachtman have turned their social media prowess into a one-stop shop for advice on fashion, recipes… — Runners-up: Aspyn Ovard, @aspynovard, Post Mormon Parenting,

• Best Tattoo ArtistAshley Love, Only Forever Tattoo

  A quick scroll through Ashley Love's Insta feed and it's easy to see why she dominated the BOU polls this year—there's a lot to love. Specializing in traditional tats, Ashley's current… — Runners-up: Mitch Anderson, Dark Arts, Bambi Nelson, Black Honey Tattoo

• Best Theater CompanyHale Centre Theatre

  Thirty-five years and going strong: Founded by Nathan and Ruth Hale, Hale Centre Theatre has been packing in family audiences since 1985 to see its roster of Broadway and Off-Broadway… — Runners-up: Salt Lake Acting Co., Pioneer Theatre Co.

• Best TV AnchorMary Nickles, KUTV 2

  Mary Nickles is a ray of sunshine, even on SLC's worst inversion days. Brightening the mornings of Utahns for over 30 years, Nickles' reporting is always great TV, but she also seems to be… — Runners-up: Kerri Cronk, Fox 13, Emily Florez, ABC4 Utah