Groundbreaking of the Larry H. & Gail Miller Arts Center highlights a major cultural investment, with Gail Miller emphasizing community, creativity, and the transformative role of arts in shaping shared experiences.
South Jordan, Utah — March 20, 2026
Under clear skies and with a sense of long-awaited momentum, civic leaders, community partners, and arts advocates gathered in South Jordan to mark the groundbreaking of the Larry H. & Gail Miller Arts Center—a project years in the making and poised to reshape cultural access across Salt Lake County’s rapidly growing southwest valley.
The March 19 ceremony reflected not only the culmination of extensive planning, but also a shared belief in the role of arts as a unifying force. Speakers throughout the event emphasized collaboration, persistence, and vision. But it was Gail Miller’s remarks that crystallized the deeper purpose behind the project: people, creativity, and community.
Standing above the future site in a symbolic and somewhat unusual rooftop groundbreaking, Miller invited attendees to look beyond the physical structure.
“When I look at the field just beyond this building, I really see more,” she said. “Although there is plenty of beauty in sagebrush… I think the things that we see as we think about a performing arts center are the people that will come to this building and what it will become because of their attendance.”
Her remarks reframed the project not as a construction milestone, but as the beginning of a living, evolving cultural space shaped by those who will use it.
Miller Arts Center: Spaces and Services
The Larry H. & Gail Miller Arts Center is designed as a comprehensive hub for arts, performance, and community engagement. Spanning 89,400 square feet, the facility will offer a range of versatile spaces to support performances, education, and public events:
The center will also offer a full suite of professional services to ensure smooth operation and exceptional audience experiences:
Together, these spaces and services will make the Miller Arts Center a versatile and professional venue, supporting both local and regional artists while providing an accessible, high-quality cultural destination for the community.
The Miller Arts Center also represents a significant public-private collaboration. Funded through Salt Lake County and anchored by a $25 million philanthropic investment from the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation, the facility will be operated by Salt Lake County Arts & Culture.
Planning efforts spanned years and included a broad coalition: the Miller organization, county leaders, municipal partners, arts professionals, and community stakeholders. Organizers acknowledged that the process was not static.
That iterative approach helped refine a vision centered on accessibility, regional impact, and long-term sustainability.
Gratitude was extended to the architectural and construction teams as well, whose work will bring the concept to life in the coming years. Their contributions were recognized as essential to transforming vision into reality.
A Cultural Hub for a Growing Region
For a region experiencing rapid growth, leaders emphasized that the arts center will serve as both anchor and catalyst.
Local officials described the surrounding community as one defined by strong leadership, thriving businesses, and access to recreation—now to be complemented by a major investment in arts and culture.
“We will continue to prioritize arts and culture in this county,” one speaker said, thanking council members and partners for their sustained support. “We appreciate everyone that believes in it and is a part of it.”
South Jordan leaders echoed that sentiment, noting the project’s long development timeline and the many contributors—past and present—who made it possible.
“This has been a long time coming,” one official reflected. “There are people who worked on this years ago who aren’t here today, but their efforts laid the foundation for what we’re celebrating now.”
Gail Miller’s Vision: People at the Center
While the facility’s design and scale are significant, Miller emphasized that its true value lies in human experience.
“I see those who will bring the building to life,” she said. “The performers who will take the stage and inspire our children… the artists who will expand their imaginations… the teachers who will ignite creativity in the classrooms.”
Her remarks painted a vivid picture of the arts center as an ecosystem—one that nurtures talent, fosters expression, and connects generations.
“The real story of this building will be created by the people who attend it, who fill its space,” she said.
Miller also underscored the broader societal role of arts institutions.
“Art centers are really essential to our communities. They’re incubators of talent… cultural connectors… preservers of creativity and expression—and we all need places like that in our life.”
Drawing on her personal appreciation for visual art—particularly her affinity for Danish painters—she highlighted the transformative power of artistic perspective.
“A single brush stroke can shift your perspective,” she said. “A work of art can move you, captivate you, or help you see beauty in the things around you.”
In that sense, the new center is intended not only as a venue, but as a daily presence in community life.
“This art center will be a place where people can step inside and be reminded that artistic expression can be part of everyday life.”
Gratitude and Forward Momentum
Throughout the event, speakers consistently returned to a theme of gratitude—for partners, planners, and the broader community.
Miller herself emphasized the collaborative nature of the effort:
“We’re grateful for the many partners who helped make this day possible, especially Salt Lake County Arts and Culture, whose leadership and dedication will help ensure that this space serves the community for years to come.”
She also framed the project as both an honor and a responsibility for the Miller family and organization.
“We, as a family, a company, and a community member, are honored to play a role in helping to bring this vision to life.”
The ceremony concluded with a forward-looking tone—an acknowledgment that while construction is just beginning, the impact is already taking shape in the collective imagination.
“Standing here today, it’s exciting to imagine all the moments that will unfold here in years ahead,” Miller stated. “We look forward to the day when this center is filled with the people… who will truly make it special.”
As applause echoed across the rooftop site, the message was clear: this is more than a building project. It is an investment in creativity, connection, and the cultural fabric of a community poised for continued growth.
The Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation was established in 2007 to continue the philanthropic spirit exemplified by Larry and Gail Miller for future generations. The Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation supports programs that enrich lives and communities in the areas of health and medicine, shelter and food security, education and skill development, jobs and economic self-reliance, and cultural and spiritual enrichment.
Read the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation’s 2024 Impact Report here: https://joom.ag/rUjd
