The Utah Department of Cultural and Community Engagement has been traveling throughout the state of Utah gathering ideas for a new state flag design. Residents have been submitting their own flag designs, but the deadline for submissions is quickly approaching.
The design to redesign the existing state flag came about following the passing of a bill made by the Utah State Legislature. The bill in question criticized the original flag for being “boring” and described the flag as a “state seal on a blue bed sheet.” A commission to create a more unique and interesting design was made through the bill and officials have turned towards personal submissions from state residents.
Of the submissions, many children have participated by submitting their own flags designed with unique colors and designs that symbolize something special to them. 12-year-old Keegan with the Boys & Girls Club of Murray, for instance, submitted a red and green flag symbolizing his family. Bobbie Seher, another participant of the initiative, shared the design of her flag and explained that the orange colors represented the sand of the desert. Seher kept the beehive design to represent older generations.
Already, there have already been hundreds of submissions and by the end of the month, the state’s flag commission will look over all of the ideas and give those designs to professional artists who will put the top designs up for public comment.
Reneé Leta, a member of the More Than a Flag initiative, is asking everybody to have their designs submitted before April 30. The state legislature will choose the final design by the end of the year.
