For 13 years, art in Park City’s elementary schools didn’t just happen – it was built, funded and sustained by PCEF through the Elementary Visual Arts (EVA) program in collaboration with a key local expert art partner, the Kimball Art Center (KAC).
Now, it’s evolving to something more.
Beginning next school year, the district will fund four full-time, licensed elementary art teachers. Lessons across all the elementary schools will be aligned so that every student in grades K-5 will have access to high-quality, equitable art education.
For Jen Billow, PCEF vice president of advancement, it’s a moment years in the making.
“When I started at PCEF, art was taught differently at every school, in every classroom. It was mostly volunteer-taught, which was a big lift for the PTO’s/A’s. The quality of the lessons waxed and waned depending on the volunteers willing to step up. Some years there would be no art program in some schools. So finally PCEF, dedicated parents, the Kimball and the district came together to fundraise to create a more sustainable model.”
When EVA launched in 2012, it filled a gap. Across Utah, art funding had been cut in the 1980s.
EVA started as one lesson a month at three elementary schools, with Jeremy Ranch opting to stay with their successful volunteer-taught Masterpieces of Art.
“There was a learning curve for sure at first,” Billow said. “We provided the funding for the art teacher salaries, and the Kimball provided the high-quality lessons and supplies. We were very lucky and got great art teachers, because we couldn’t afford to pay for licensed teachers. And they weren’t full-time.”
Over the past 13 years, EVA has grown significantly. PCEF has invested nearly $1.5 million into EVA, bringing consistent, high-quality art experiences to roughly 1,200 students each year and helping shape a program that’s become a valued part of the elementary school experience.
“Not every student learns in the same way,” Billow said. “There are kids who come to school because of art – it’s another way of learning. Art plays a critical role in student success.”
Now, that impact is driving the program’s next chapter. Under the district’s new model launching next school year, all four elementary schools will follow a unified approach, with one full-time licensed art teacher at each school. Art will also be integrated into classroom learning, with KAC continuing as a key resource to help guide curriculum and connect lessons to broader subjects. For example, students studying a unit on Native American history might explore Native American artists tied to that unit.
“It means all of our kids will get high-quality art lessons taught by licensed art teachers,” Billow said. “And art will be integrated into curriculum supporting English language arts or science, making learning even more diverse and impactful.”
The shift is especially meaningful because it wasn’t expected.
“We didn’t think the district would ever take over this program,” she said. “If you had asked me a year ago, I thought we’d be fundraising for this forever.”
Instead, the district is making it part of the core experience and culture - something Billow calls both surprising and deeply gratifying.
“It’s so gratifying to see the district recognize how important this is to our students,” she said.
In fact, PCSD Fine Arts Coordinator Bret Hughes notes, “The evolution of EVA for 2026-2027 is directly attributable to years of foundational support from PCEF. EVA is a case study on the impact of resource investment; without PCEF's 13-year commitment to financial and programmatic operations, and the organizational alignment of PCSD, PCEF, and the Kimball Arts Center, the district couldn't transition to this robust arts integration model. PCEF's support of EVA has been transformational, ensuring the long-term success of visual arts in PCSD elementary schools.”
For PCEF, that shift creates space for what’s next.
“This is what donor support makes possible,” Billow said. “We can invest in programs that are truly transformative – and then be ready for whatever comes next.”
As she prepares to retire this summer, this moment feels poignant.
“It’s incredibly meaningful to see this come to fruition,” she said. “It’s a great way to retire – seeing this become part of the regular curriculum.”
Note: PCEF is grateful to the donors who directed support to EVA in its early years, including Zions Bank.
