Press Releases

News & Media Updates

2022 Press Releases:

Celebrating over two decades of the Art in Kayenta Festival

Ivins, UT – The Kayenta Arts Foundation is pleased to announce the 22nd annual Art in Kayenta Festival, Friday, October 7th through Sunday, October 9th, 2022. Each Fall thousands of art enthusiasts and families have been making their way to Kayenta Art Village for the annual three-day FREE art festival in Ivins. Not only do festival goers enjoy spectacular art, they are also treated to stunning desert vistas, culinary delights from festival vendors, a beer and wine garden, live music, and Kayenta’s own Xetava Gardens Café that features organic local produce.

Guests will have the opportunity to visit a collection of over 50 juried, regional and national artists who specialize in sculpture, painting, jewelry, ceramics, wood, metal, and other media. “The quality of art and extent of creative expression at the Festival is extraordinary. Combined with the Art Village setting and backdrop of Ivins red mountain, it is truly a special experience,” states Kayenta Arts Foundation Chair, Rob Goodman.

The Art in Kayenta Festival hosts a silent auction featuring original work from the attending artists and offerings from local businesses. Festival guests will have the exclusive opportunity to bid on select art pieces. The auction is hosted by the nonprofit Kayenta Arts Foundation, with proceeds benefiting Center For the Arts at Kayenta (CFAK).

During the Art in Kayenta Festival, CFAK is also presenting a special Living History Chautauqua event, October 7 and 8 at 7:30 PM. This performance features Bobby Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev debating the 1692 missile crisis between the two Super Powerhouses. There will also be a special social hour to meet the artists, either before or after the event. Tickets to the Chautauqua are $25 for adults, $10 for students and children.

Festival Details

Chautauqua Event Details

New Executive Director Miranda Wright!

Miranda grew up in St. George and attended Southern Utah University before moving to Los Angeles, CA in 2006. Over the past decade, she has worked closely with remarkable theater and dance artists in Los Angeles and New York to produce boundary-pushing and engaging performances that have toured worldwide.

Miranda has an extensive background in performing arts. She founded Los Angeles Performance Practice in 2010, and the Live Arts Exchange [LAX] Festival in 2013. In Los Angeles, she worked with Center Theatre Group, Center for the Art of Performance (CAP) UCLA, and CalArts Center for New Performance, among others. Performances produced through her company have toured across the United States and throughout the world.

Miranda was the recipient of Center Theatre Group’s Richard E. Sherwood Award in 2014, and awarded a Cultural Exchange International Fellowship in 2015 through the City of Los Angeles and the British Council to work with ArtsAdmin in London. She is a founding member of the Creative & Independent Producers Alliance (CIPA) and the International Presenting Commons (IPC). Miranda holds a certificate from the Institute for Curatorial Practice In Performance at Wesleyan University, an MFA in Producing from California Institute of the Arts, and an Executive MBA from Hult International Business School.

Center for the Arts at Kayenta Bids Goodbye to Executive Director Jan Broberg

Ivins, UT: Kayenta Arts Foundation (KAF) announced today that Jan Broberg, Executive Director of Center for the Arts at Kayenta (CFAK), has decided to retire her position effective June 30, 2022 to focus full-time on her foundation advocating for sexual abuse victims. CFAK will be bidding a heartfelt goodbye to Jan, who has been with the organization since opening its doors in 2017.

Rob Goodman, Board Chair for the Kayenta Arts Foundation, said of Jan’s contribution, “Through our first five years, Jan played an instrumental role in helping lead and transform CFAK from an idea into one of only two thriving performing arts centers in Southern Utah.” He added, “The Board of Directors wishes to thank Jan for her service and dedication in making CFAK the unique place it is for our community. We wish her the very best as she pursues the important work of the Jan Broberg Foundation.”

Ms. Broberg credits her partnership with a consummate, professional team of talented staff members and a visionary volunteer board as having made CFAK a refreshing, exciting destination for those in the southwest region seeking a world-class, inspirational, meaningful, and entertaining experience. During a very trying time, as the pandemic was still impacting live performances (not to mention morale), Anna Charnock, Managing Director, described how Jan helped ensure that the production of The Full Monty was a monumental success. Charnock stated, “Jan took the musical and polished it into something incredibly memorable. In fact, many came back more than once to see it. Jan was the glue that brought the staff and actors together. She made a really beautiful thing happen during a trying time. That is who Jan is; she has built so many bridges for diverse artistic endeavors to thrive here. She is a true visionary.”

Jan is sad to leave behind her beloved CFAK, but feels the Center is in excellent hands. She believes it will continue making an invaluable contribution to the region’s vibrant arts community.

Ms. Broberg has stated her intended advocacy work, “In light of the rare platform I’ve been given, thanks to the true-crime series [streaming on NBC’s Peacock channel this fall] “Friend of the Family” that will go in-depth on my abduction story, I feel I have an opportunity to make an impact on our culture and our ability to prevent the most common types of sexual abuse from taking place—by people who are familiar to the victim. The Jan Broberg Foundation will provide resources for healing and prevention. Through the foundation, the series, public speaking, a new book and my coming podcast series, I hope to truly give-back what I have gained through my many life experiences. I also want it known, that in a very big way, the arts and the stage literally saved my life! I believe in what KAF and CFAK stands for as an absolute necessity for a healthy and thriving community. I fondly wish it to continue in its highest form, to mirror life and humanity, and lead the way as the light beam of what art does for a community.”

A formal nationwide search for Jan’s replacement for Artistic Director of Center for the Arts at Kayenta is now underway.

World-renowned pianist Mykola Suk at Center for the Arts at Kayenta for one night only!

Ivins, UT – Internationally acclaimed pianist Mykola Suk will perform for one night only, March 26, 2022 at the Center for the Arts at Kayenta. Accompanied by cellist Ka-Wai Yu and violinist Urs Rutishauser, the program will feature two piano trios: Beethoven’s famous “Ghost” and the highly rhapsodic work by Ilebrando Pizzetti. He will also perform a solo piece from his vast repertoire.

Currently Associate Professor of Piano Studies at UNLV, Suk’s international career has spanned four continents, with performances in prestigious venues from the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory to Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York City. He has appeared as a soloist with major orchestras, including the Russian National Symphony and the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn, and given recitals in the former Soviet Union, France, Germany, England, Portugal, Finland, Egypt, Spain, Mexico, United States, Canada, Korea, China, Mongolia and Australia.

Mykola’s passion for chamber music has brought him to distinguished festivals and collaborations throughout the world. Among these are the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival (Finland), Kiev International Music Festival (Ukraine), Australian Festival of Chamber Music, and International Keyboard Institute and Festival (New York City).

Tickets can be purchased by clicking here or by calling the box office atl 435-674-2787.

Event Details

About Kayenta Arts Foundation and The Center For the Arts at Kayenta:
Kayenta Arts Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop and create an environment where diverse artistic endeavors can flourish. The Center for the Arts at Kayenta (CFAK) is our beautiful black box theater that brings our mission to the community. Southern Utahans come to CFAK to learn, express, appreciate and celebrate art in all forms. The Kayenta Arts Foundation is supported in part by funding from Washington County and Ivins City RAP funds. KAF is also supported in part by the Utah Division of Arts & Museums, with funding from the State of Utah and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Come, be a part of the art at the Center for the Arts at Kayenta!

2021 Press Releases:

Kayenta Arts Academy (KAA) Life Skills Through Arts Skills

Kayenta Arts Academy (KAA) provides performing arts training for youth ages 9-17 throughout the Southern Utah region. The Center For the Arts at Kayenta (CFAK) provided a very successful youth summer program in June and July of 2020. In June 2021 KAA again will launch a comprehensive arts program of classes, workshops, and performance opportunities.

KAA teaches young people life skills through participation in a variety of art forms, culminating in a musical theater production with professional directors and actors. Workshop classes in music, acting, script analysis, improvisation, musical theater, with a touch of visual art keep students busy from 9am-3pm daily. Students will work together in rehearsals and classes to prepare for the selected musical this summer, Xanadu Jr.Though participation in the musical is not required, it is a key confidence building component to“showcase and shine”in front of an audience, which solidifies the life skills and theater expertise learned at KAA.

The Academy fosters a positive atmosphere, building community,not competition, where young people can trust themselves and others, develop positive self-esteem and overcome the fear of failure in a completely supportive environment. The Academy is completely unique in Southern Utah in its ability to greatly improve the quality of life of young people and families through participation in performing and visual arts.

Improved self-confidence and emotional intelligence, communication and public speaking, creativity and problem solving, cooperation and team building are all absorbed through arts instruction in rotating classes throughout the day.Studying unusual instruments and creating music through the Karl Orff “Schulwerk” approach as well as learning to sing solo and in groups builds constructive curiosity, responsibility and commitment. Creative dance and various art projects are gateways to self-acceptance,appreciation and respect for the uniqueness they see in themselves and others. Visit: KayentaArts.com for more information.

The Academy’s primary objective is to help student sover come fears, take responsible risks, and become community leaders

Event Details

June 7th - July 2: Mon - Fri, Four Week Rotating Classes & Workshops, 9am - 3pm
July 6th - 10th: Final Rehearsals, Costuming and Tech Week, Hours TBD
July 12th - 17th: Performances of Xanadu Jr., Exact Dates and Times TBD
Tuition: $300 for four-week classes and workshops.
$50 Costume Fee for performances in the musical

*Regarding COVID-19, KAF strictly follows all CDC and local guidelines. All classes will be limited to 15 students each.

We recognize the financial strain families in our community face, while still wanting to have top-quality experiences for their children. We are more than happy to arrange customizable tuition payment schedules for families, regardless of income level or number of children enrolled. No child is turned away because of financial need. Scholarships, partial and full tuition are available. For information contact: Anna Charnock, General Manager, 435-674-2787, kayentapac@gmail.com.

About Kayenta Arts Foundation and Center For the Arts at Kayenta
Kayenta Arts Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop and create an environment where diverse artistic endeavors can flourish. Our vision is for the Center For the Arts at Kayenta (CFAK) to become a premier venue for awareness, appreciation, education, and enjoyment of theatrical endeavors and festivals. The intimate Lorraine Boccardo Black Box Theater enables our community to come together to learn, express, and celebrate art in a variety of forms.

Kayenta Arts Foundation is supported in part by funding from Washington County and Ivins City RAP funds. Kayenta Arts Foundation is also supported in part by Utah Division of Arts & Museums, with funding from the State of Utah and the NationalEndowment for the Arts.