SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)- The office of Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall announced today that applications are now being accepted for the city’s Arts, Culture, and Events (ACE) Fund. The annual program is designed to support and grow neighborhood and community events in the city. 

“The ACE Fund is an important tool in cultivating an event-friendly atmosphere in our city,” Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in a press release. “From block parties to large-scale gatherings, we value the community-building and sense of place these community events create.” 

The city says that ACE-Fund eligible events are those that:

  • Support City-wide economic development,
  • Bring arts, education, and technology opportunities to all communities,
  • Promote diversity, inclusion, and cultural identity,
  • Protect the local environment and build a sustainable City,
  • Create neighborhood and community unity, and 
  • Support the health and wellness of City residents.

Poplar Grove Community Council Chair Erik Lopez said that the funds have been integral in maintaining events like the Groove in the Grove community block party for the last eight years. He also said that such events help connect neighbors in a family-friendly environment. 

“Without the generous support of the City via ACE funding, Groove in the Grove wouldn’t be here today,” Lopez said.

City events have been ACE-funded since 2012. More than $1.6 million has been used to fund events around the city, from mental health fairs and art festivals to culture celebrations.

“The Annual Utah Blues Festival’s success would not have been possible without the support of the ACE funding we have received from the Mayor’s Office over the years,” Blues Festival Producer Tripp Hopkins said. “The Festival is now nationally and internationally known in the Blues world and brings a significant cultural experience to the people of Salt Lake City and Utah. We now have attendees from around the world.”

An ACE information seminar will be hosted on Nov. 17th at 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. To register, go to https://www.slc.gov/mayor/ace-fund/. Dec. 3 is the application deadline. Applicants will be notified of their award status in January 2022.