WINTER to SPRING 2022
The More Than A Flag initiative received some 5,700 design submissions – and another 1,500 survey responses – from Utahns all over the state. Those submissions included hundreds of designs colored with crayons and colored pencils by Utah’s schoolchildren. “I love the extent of public input from students and adults,” said Jean Tokuda Irwin, arts education manager for the Utah Division of Arts & Museums, and a member of the initiative’s Design Review Subcommittee. “They’re our future designers.”
“I love the extent of public input from students… They’re our future designers.”
Jean Tokuda Iriwn, Arts Education Program Manager for the Utah Division of Arts & Museums and Design Review Subcommittee member
Read more from the main website, at Flag.Utah.gov.
IN JUNE AND JULY:
Thousands of flag submissions were posted on the walls of the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement building. The Utah State Task Force viewed all of those designs.
Then the Design Review Subcommittee met to narrow down selections. Everyone on the subcommittee – which included designers, historians, and educators – was invited to nominate their favorite designs. Just one vote was needed to forward a flag to the next round. About 70 designs were moved forward.
Next, in July, the Design Review Committee met virtually to further narrow down flag submissions to about 30 designs, considering recommendations from designers, and local and national vexillologists.
IN AUGUST:
Smaller Refinement Committees of designers and vexoligists were formed, who grouped similar designs together and then created the strongest options in each thematic category. Refinement Committees met three times to refine designs, tweaking colors and symbols based on flag design principles, while also considering brand marketing strategies. These Committees forwarded 20 semi-finalist designs for public comment. reviewed by the public in this survey.
FEEDBACK DEADLINE: OCT. 5
More than 11,000 comments were received in the first week after the flag designs were launched. Public feedback is invited through this survey. Deadline: Oct. 5.
NEXT STEPS:
In September: Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Lt. Gov Deidre Henderson will launch a pop-up flag exhibition at the Utah State Capitol, with flag exhibitions also scheduled in Cedar City and Logan. The semi-final flags will be displayed in the Capitol’s Hall of Governors until Oct. 5.
Oct. 4: The Utah State Flag Task Force will review public feedback.
Oct. 7: The Design Review Subcommittee will meet to select the final flags. Based on public feedback, they may continue to refine the colors and designs on semi-final flag designs, based on public feedback. They will recommend three to six flag designs to the Task Force.
Late fall to early winter: The Task Force will recommend a new state flag to the Utah Legislature for consideration.
Read more about the More Than A Flag timeline, at Flag.Utah.gov/process-timeline.