Massive new art installation planned for Sugar House seeks to highlight its neighbors

SALT LAKE CITY — Sugar House's growth has brought many residents to its core, and a new art installation aims to highlight all the different people who live in the Salt Lake City neighborhood.

"The People in Your Neighborhood," a seven-piece art installation by local artists Jeremy Morgan and Brooke Smart, a sculptor and muralist under the team name Tomato Tomahto, has been selected as part of new art planned for Fairmont Park, 1040 E Sugarmont Drive, and nearby McClelland Street, Salt Lake City officials announced on Thursday.

The seven pieces, two in the park and five on the street north of it, essentially form vignettes of "familiar community figures" and everyday moments, per the city. A group flying kites at the park serves as one piece, while others feature young families strolling through Sugar House, joggers running alongside nature and wildlife itself, among other themes.

"The work is intentionally distributed throughout the corridor, inviting visitors to explore, discover and move between the two sites as part of one continuous artistic journey," the Salt Lake City Arts Council said in a statement.

The art piece correlates with a project to renovate Fairmont Park, which is expected to begin next year. Salt Lake City Department of Public Lands officials released a final design earlier this year, detailing a park that combines "connection, safety, sustainability, and play for all ages."

The plan includes more defined spaces for soccer and volleyball, and additional pickleball courts. It also calls for improvements to play areas and the dog park, as well as the area's natural features and many other features, including enhancements to the southern end of the McClelland Trail.

It's slated to be funded through the $85 million bond that residents approved in 2022 for park improvements across the city. The latest bond tranche set aside $441,000 for public art commissions at various parks.

Tomato Tomahto ultimately jumped ahead of a field of 26 local artists who applied for the winning piece, which is a joint venture between the Arts Council and the city's public lands and transportation departments.

The artists were unanimously selected after advancing to the final round with two other applicants because of the "playful, community-centered approach of their proposal, its strong storytelling and its ability to create a cohesive experience across both sites," arts officials noted.

They added that the installation is expected to be fully installed by the end of 2028, although it may come in pieces. The pieces along McClelland Street could be installed ahead of Fairmont Park, depending on the park's construction timeline.

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