Imagine a place in our community where new actors perform old classics, the sounds of symphonies float down the hall and magic fills the air. That place is the Cultural Arts Society of West Jordan, and it’s calling out to you.

Walking down the halls, you will find actors, artists, literary geniuses and master musicians. Whether you are a performer at heart or an eager audience member, you’re bound to experience the magic of the arts here.

 “It’s a safe place people can come and escape for roughly two hours,” said Kass Rackham, a member of the theater arts board for West Jordan. “The harder the world is on the outside, it's easier to escape to the land of what we're trying to see and feel.”

One person who can testify to the power of the arts is none other than West Jordan’s City Council Chair, Bob Bedore.

When Bedore moved to Utah in 1978, he knew no one. His father encouraged him to take an acting class to make friends. Since that year, he hasn’t gone more than a month without being in some kind of show or performance.

In fact, Bedore’s love for the arts was a driving force behind his running for city council. “I knew there was money that was appropriated to build the community and arts building. And the person who had the seat I have now was actively stalling it.”

Prior to 2017 the Cultural Arts Society in West Jordan, also known as CASWJ, was part of the city’s programs. Since then, the Cultural Arts Society was formed to bring groups such as the Sugar Factory Playhouse and the West Jordan Symphonies together.

Now that CASWJ has a permanent home, Bedore is proud that West Jordan’s name is attached to something so magical. “We are a place where artists realize that they can be seen. We get the best from everywhere, and it shows we’re doing something right.”

Bedore took a moment to highlight the importance of creating a safe space for kids and future generations to embrace the arts. “A lot of times, people interested in the arts are having a tough time expressing themselves. If you start taking away the arts, we’re going to lose people.”

A 2019 report by the World Health Organization found that the arts play a critical role in promoting health and wellbeing while supporting the treatment and management of mental illness and neurological disorders. 

“A lot of people in theater have ADHD and anxiety and even depression,” Rackham said. “It's an outlet to express emotions that people might not be able to in their normal lives.”

 Rackham, who was chosen to direct William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night's Dream” at the Sugar Factory Playhouse, mentioned how the centuries old play reflects modern times.

“It's all about mischief, magic and love. And, yeah, craziness, but it's about friendship,” Rackham said. “There's things that go wrong, but it's still full of love. It’s important to remember that we can bring those things into our own life as well.”

South Jordan resident Andrew Hackman, who plays the character of Nick Bottom in the show, gushed over what he loves most about theater: the sense of connection. “For me, it's social. Every cast becomes a little family. That’s what drew me to theater initially, and it's what's kept me in.”

Dillon Workman, CASWJ’s Executive Director, reiterated this point. “There's something about the people of West Jordan that make it easy to make friends. To see someone that needs help, or someone that wants to help you.”

Workman continued: “I think art is therapy, and if the arts took over the world, everyone would be happy. We’d have ways of expressing ourselves so that we wouldn’t resort to violence. I don’t think you can ever say there’s too much art.”

CASWJ isn’t just for experienced actors and professional artists, it’s a place for everyone. Whether you want to build set pieces and sew costumes or learn piano and finish up that book you’ve been mulling over, you are welcome here.

“There's so many outlets that I don't think people know are available. The arts just unlock things for you, and there are opportunities for people who haven't found that home to express themselves,” emphasized Workman.

At CASWJ, you can be a councilman or an accountant by day, and a comedian or violinist at night. You can come from West Jordan, or travel far and wide to make this your home.

At the end of the day, The Cultural Arts Society of West Jordan encourages community members to dream boldly, awaken creativity and inspire together. Whether you’re a painter, a performer or a purveyor of the arts, you are welcome here.

“There's so many outlets that I don't think people know are available,” emphasized Workman. “The arts just unlock things for you, and there are opportunities for people who haven't found that home to express themselves.”