The Cedar City Art Exhibit, running from 1940 to 2008, was an annual community art exhibition initiated by junior high school art teacher Eugene Jorgensen. Organized by the Cedar City Art Committee, it featured works by local, regional, and national artists, including Maynard Dixon, Eve Drewelowe, and Jimmie Jones. Each year, at least one artwork was purchased for the city, and students also saved money to buy art for their schools. The exhibition highlighted pieces now held by Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) and the Iron County School District.
This exhibition matters because it reflects a pivotal moment in American history when New Deal programs, specifically the Federal Art Project’s Community Art Center Program, aimed to make art accessible to all citizens. The Cedar City Art Committee was one of five such projects in Utah, funded to democratize art and arts education. The initiative underscored the belief that art is for everyone, a mission encapsulated in the committee's 1941 statement: "they believe art is for all." The show's legacy endures through the artworks acquired by SUMA and local schools.