As part of their tour of candidate sites, representatives from the Sundance Film Festival Host Committee wrapped up an inspection of Utah sites late last month. Hosted by the Utah Host Committee, the group heard the locals’ presentation on a “reimagined footprint” in Salt Lake and Park City. The inspection included tours of key venues, theaters, performing arts facilities and restaurants across Salt Lake City, highlighting the theme of “Two Cities, One Experience,” in the Utah group’s effort to entice the festival to remain in Utah.
The Sundance Institute announced earlier this year that it will consider alternate sites for the festival when its contract with Park City expires following the 2026 rendition. Sundance began its site selection process with a “request for interest” from possible candidates in the spring. The “request for proposals” phase for select locations was next, to which the Utah Host Committee responded in June.
The other five finalists competing in the next phase are Atlanta; Cincinnati; Boulder, Colorado; Louisville, Kentucky; and Santa Fe, New Mexico. These cities survived the cut from among cities throughout the country.
“Salt Lake City is a thriving cultural hub with a deep commitment to the arts,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “We are excited about the possibility of furthering our partnership with Sundance and sharing our city’s vibrant energy with filmmakers and visitors from around the world.”
“Park City has been the heart of the Sundance Film Festival for over four decades, and we are thrilled to have a chance to continue being a host City in partnership with our neighboring communities,” added Park City Mayor Nann Worel. “From the beginning, we have recognized the need to reimagine our future together while we prepare to host an amazing festival in 2025.”
The final selection will take place by the first quarter of 2025, the Sundance Host Committee has said.