Contributed by Michael Christensen (@folkloremike)

Folklore Professionals to Convene in Logan, Utah 

Sponsored by WESTAF and the National Endowment for the Arts, this year's conference will run concurrently with the Western States Folklore Society's annual meeting. The conference will incorporate visits to the site of the Bear River Massacre, an historic barn in the Bear River Heritage Area, and two local artists. Attendees will also enjoy an evening performance featuring folk songs of northern Utah and southeastern Idaho. Professional development workshops will include a review of and in-depth action planning around the "Moving Toward a Sustainable Future" report completed after the 2013 conference as well as discussions related to new models for public folklore, career positioning for independent folklorists, contemporary perspectives on the future of folklore, and regional and intergenerational collaborations.

Hi, there!  I'm Michael Christensen (@folkloremike), Folklorist/Cultural Specialist here at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center. That's me there, hanging a banner for the Utah's Beehive exhibit we hosted last spring.  I mention spring because I'm hoping it gets here soon . . . new beginnings, new life, new WEBSITE!

That's right.  Over the next couple of weeks you'll see some changes coming to the Cultural Center website.  We're excited about it, and hope you are too.  Tell your friends!  We have a lot of great, FREE, public arts and cultural events for you to enjoy.

After browsing the new website, stop here for "Cultural Comments", where I'll be talking about a LOT of topics, like history, culture, diversity, heritage, ethnicity, nationality, and folklore to name a few.   And of course I'll update you on arts and culturally related activities here at the Center, and throughout our community.  I hope you enjoy my "Cultural Comments", and hope you'll make some of your own!  Here's a start for you: what should I call this blog?  Does "Cultural Comments" work for you?