It All Started at a Festival
“Something new just happened in the Riverside Chapel - I was there, I spoke and looked and listened and the story of Mormon Arts will never be the same.”
Something in the air
From the very beginning, the Center’s founders, led by historian Richard Bushman and author Glen Nelson, envisioned something dynamic: a place where art, faith, and scholarship could come together as a cultural and artistic hub for Latter-day Saints.
The inaugural Festival of the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts (then the Mormon Arts Center) held in New York City in 2017 was a landmark moment. It brought together visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, writers, and scholars to showcase and celebrate the depth of artistic expression within the LDS tradition. For four days, attendees immersed themselves in exhibitions, performances, and conversations—creating a vibrant, shared experience that proved the power of the arts to connect, inspire, and uplift.
When describing this first festival, we can only say, “you had to be there.” Gathered under the gothic architecture of the Riverside Church in New York, the energy in that first festival was purely electric. A sense of anticipation and curiosity was around every corner (you can relive some of that energy for yourself by exploring the 2017 festival’s exhibition, Immediate Present).
“I applaud this event as a seminal moment in Mormonism’s coming of age, artistically.”
A new chapter
That first festival wasn’t just an event, but a declaration of purpose. It embodied the Center’s mission: to exist at the intersection of cultural relevance and divine creativity. The festival elevated and expanded the conversation about Latter-day Saint art, creating a space where artists could present their work and where audiences could engage with it in thoughtful and meaningful ways.
Since then, festivals have remained at the heart of the Center’s programs. Whether in-person or virtual, these festivals continue to create moments of discovery, reflection, and joy. They are a living expression of Richard Bushman’s founding sentiment—that Latter-day Saint art is the next frontier for Latter-day Saint culture, and that the best way to experience it is together.
Join the next chapter of celebration and innovation at the Center Virtual Festival
The Center started with a festival, and the festival remains at the center of what we do.
This year’s Virtual Festival is no exception. Though it takes place online, it carries the same spirit of innovation and community that defined our very first gathering. It’s a chance to bring artistic heritage and contemporary voices to audiences everywhere, breaking down barriers of geography and access. Wherever you are, you can be at the center of it all.
Join us this May and be part of the next chapter in this ongoing story.
