Utah Museum of Fine Arts and Powder Art Foundation Launch Inaugural Land Art Week, October 1-3, 2026

For Immediate Release

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — The Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) is proud to announce the inaugural Land Art Week, taking place October 1-3, 2026 in and around Salt Lake City. Generously funded by Powder Art Foundation (PAF), this new celebration will bring together artists, scholars, and art enthusiasts for a series of conversations, site visits, and immersive experiences highlighting Utah’s unparalleled contributions to the history and future of Land art.

Land Art Week celebrates the remarkable relationship between art and landscape that has shaped Utah’s cultural identity for generations. From ancient petroglyphs carved in stone to groundbreaking works of Land art, like Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty and Nancy Holt’s Sun Tunnels, Utah has long served as a source of inspiration and experimentation for artists engaging with the natural environment.

The program will also spotlight the growing installation and sculpture collection at Powder Mountain, where Powder Art Foundation is developing an open-air art park featuring site-responsive artworks installed across 8,000 acres of alpine terrain in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. Visitors encounter artworks through hiking trails, ski routes, and direct engagement with the mountain landscape.

“The UMFA is thrilled to launch this ambitious new program,” said Gretchen Dietrich, The Marcia and John Price Executive Director of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. “We are grateful for Powder Art Foundation’s generous support and delighted to work collaboratively with them to bring art lovers from near and far to engage with both with historic and contemporary artworks in the Utah landscape.” ​

Highlights of Land Art Week will include an artist talk at the UMFA with internationally renowned multidisciplinary artist and writer Lita Albuquerque, a community meet-up at Spiral Jetty on the shores of Great Salt Lake, and a special opportunity to experience Powder Art Foundation’s outdoor sculpture collection during its Fall Open House at Powder Mountain. Other art organizations, including Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Kimball Art Center, and Ogden Contemporary Arts will host exhibitions and events to foster meaningful encounters with art in the landscape while celebrating Utah’s enduring role as a center for artistic innovation. ​

“Land Art Week is a unique opportunity to connect audiences with the artists, places, and inspiration that make Utah a globally significant destination for Land art,” said Alex Zhang, President of Powder Art Foundation. “We hope to showcase the powerful relationship between art, place, and community by bringing people together across some of Utah's most iconic landscapes.”

For more information and updates about Land Art Week, visit umfa.utah.edu/land-art-week.

A young person exploring "Spiral Jetty" using a UMFA Family Backpack. Image courtesy of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts."Spiral Jetty" Community Meet-up, 2022. Image courtesy of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.

"Nobuo Sekine, Phase of Nothingness - Stone Stack", 1970/2025, Natural stone, steel. Photo courtesy of Powder Art Foundation and Ben Moisen Photography. Carlson Art Photography. © Nobuo Sekine Estate."Spiral Jetty" Community Meet-up, 2022. Image courtesy of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.

Nancy Holt, Sun Tunnels (1973-76), Great Basin Desert, Utah, Concrete, steel, earth, Overall dimensions: 9 ft. 2-1/2 in. x 68 ft. 6in. x 53 ft. (2.8 x 20.9 x 16.2 m); length on the diagonal: 86 ft. (26.2 m), Photograph: Nancy Holt, Collection Dia Art Foundation with support from Holt/Smithson Foundation © Holt/Smithson Foundation and Dia Art Foundation / Licensed by Artists Rights Society, New York.Davina Semo – Reflector (2020 – 2024). Installation view, Powder Mountain. Image courtesy of Powder Art Foundation and photographer, Tristan Sadler.

About the Utah Museum of Fine Arts

The Utah Museum of Fine Arts is located on the University of Utah campus in the Marcia and John Price Museum Building at 410 Campus Center Drive. The UMFA’s mission is to inspire critical dialogue and illuminate the role of art in our lives. For more information visit ​ www.umfa.utah.edu.

About Powder Art Foundation

Powder Art Foundation (PAF) is a place where art, landscape, and adventure come together. PAF is an open-air art park situated across 8,000 acres of alpine terrain at Powder Mountain in Eden, Utah. The foundation commissions and presents site-specific artworks that invite visitors to experience art through direct engagement with the landscape across all seasons.

Media Contact: ​
​Emma Ryder ​
​Marketing and Communications Director, Utah Museum of Fine Arts ​
​Emma.ryder@umfa.utah.edu | 801.581.7328