Deseret News – Utah is ‘one of the best arts states in America’ Gov. Gary Herbert says during COVID-19 briefing

by  Lottie Elizabeth Johnson

SALT LAKE CITY — In a COVID-19 press briefing Thursday that extended the stay home directive through the end of the month, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert gave a shoutout to Utah’s sports and performing arts organizations.

“Probably no sector has been hit any harder than those organizations,” Herbert said in a video shared by Utah Opera on Facebook. “We are a state that’s been founded really at the beginning with art. When those early pioneers came into our valley, one of the first things they built was a performing arts center. We have significant arts and success in our arts here in the state of Utah, and one of the best arts states in America today with the talent we have.”

The arts industry nationwide has already lost more than $3 billion in the wake of the pandemic, the Deseret News recently reported. Many arts organizations in Utah are hurting as venues, theaters and concert halls have shut down.

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