(uplifting music) - The Governor's Mansion Artist Awards honors Utah's visual and performing artists.

Each year artists are selected by the Governor and First Lady from a pool of nominees.

And here to tell us more is Lynda Horne.

Hi Lynda, welcome.

- Hi, Mary.

- So tell us about this awards program and how long it's been going on.

- Well, the Governor's Mansion was donated by the Kearns family in 1937 to the state of Utah with the understanding that it would be used as the governor's residence.

And the first governor to live there was Governor Blood.

And his family wanted to leave a piano, a legacy piece.

But as a family of modest means, they decided to hold an event where performers would come and play the piano and they could raise money to pay for the piano, to keep in the residence forever.

Well, that idea planted a seed for all of the Governor's Mansion Artist Awards in the future.

And in 1993 post of a tragic fire at the Mansion, the idea was revived and has been going strong ever since.

- That's great.

And then who are some notable past recipients of the award?

- Well, we've honored some of the greats like the Utah Symphony, the Madeleine Choir, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, And we've also honored some lesser known but certainly equally deserving artists, such as Navajo Basket Weavers Mary Black, Elsie Holiday, muralist, Kim Martinez.

- Great.

Great.

And you are partnering with PBS Utah, okay.

- Yes, we are.

- And tell us why that is.

- Well, the Governor's Mansion can hold about a hundred people for these events where we celebrate these artists.

And it's a wonderful event, but we felt like everybody in the state of Utah should have the opportunity to enjoy this and celebrate those artists.

And so we've partnered with PBS Utah to be able to bring this celebration into people's homes so they can learn more about the artists and join us.

- All right.

Well, thank you so much for being here, Lynda.

Thank you.

- Thank you.

- And if you would like to know more about the Governor Mansion Award the program PBS Utah is airing "Art Elevated."

It airs June 15th, 7:00 PM.

Go to governor.utah.gov/mansion.

(uplifting music) I'm Mary Dickson Thanks for watching "Contact."

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Hi, I'm Mary Dickson.

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