Bountiful Davis Art Center asks Centerville for larger contribution, highlights student exhibits

Serena Ergot, executive director of the Bountiful Davis Art Center, told the Centerville City Council on May 5 that the center provides free exhibitions, family art nights, student exhibitions and low‑cost recitals to the South Davis area and asked the city to consider increasing its contribution to $5,000 this year.

"We want to make sure that residents in our communities have the opportunity to create, have connections within their communities, and also to see artwork without cost being a barrier," Ergot said, noting that 25 Centerville students applied to this year’s Davis School District student exhibition and 14 were accepted.

Ergot outlined program costs: the DSD student exhibition costs about $9,500 annually, a curated main gallery exhibition about $16,000, solo‑artist exhibitions around $2,000 and family art nights about $750 each month. She said Summerfest has grown to a cost of roughly $20,000.

Councilmembers asked about BDAC’s outreach, partnerships and funding: Ergot said BDAC relies on members, newsletters, social media and press outreach to reach audiences across Davis County and the broader region, and said the organization is pursuing grant support and school district partnerships to expand student access.

Staff noted Centerville currently has a $3,000 line item; council discussion recognized that neighboring cities typically give about $5,000 and asked staff to consider how the wrap‑tax rules and intercity contributions interact with the city’s own budget process.

Ergot said she will follow up with the council by email with comparative numbers and thanked members for past support.