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Magna CRA hears request to assume county support for 'Lens of Magna Main' photography contest
Summary
An organizer asked the Magna Community Reinvestment Agency to assume the county’s role supporting the Lens of Magna Main photography contest and requested $2,875 for prize money; the board discussed timing and logistics but took no formal funding vote.
The Magna Community Reinvestment Agency on Tuesday heard a presentation asking the agency to assume county support for the Lens of Magna Main photography contest and to provide $2,875 in prize money.
City Manager David Rickey introduced the item and turned the floor over to Rachel, the contest organizer, who described the program’s rules, growth and a modest funding request. "The Lens of Magna Main came about a few years ago when Adrian West asked members of the Main Street Alliance to come up with ideas on how to spotlight Main Street and increase interest in Main Street and foot traffic," Rachel said.
Rachel told the board the contest requires photographs be taken within roughly 300 feet of Main Street and accepts entries online in youth, amateur and professional categories. She said the contest has run since 2023 and that the judges do blind evaluations by photograph title only. She named the judging panel as Ted York, Trent Nelson and Eric Adams and said winners’ prints are framed and displayed in the city library.
On participation, Rachel said the contest drew 80 submissions in 2025 — about a 250% increase over 2024 — with the bulk of new entries in the amateur category. She said 42% of entrants were from Magna, with Holiday and West Valley also contributing participants. "We had 183 people vote in the people's choice category, with 96 votes in the amateur division," she said.
Rachel described how entrants sign a release allowing the county to use photographs without additional payment and told the CRA that, if the city were to assume the program, the legal release language would need to be updated so the city would hold the same usage rights. She also said she and her husband covered about $4,000 of contest costs for 2025 and asked the board to consider $2,875 to cover prize money going forward.
Board members asked logistical questions about timing and disbursement. In response, Rachel said the contest is typically held in April, that organizers send contest notices in December so photographers have time to prepare, and that prize checks have historically been routed through a nonprofit partner (the Magna Arts Council) and paid out at contest time.
City Manager Rickey clarified that prior support came from the county via the Main Street RDA and that the request before the CRA is that the agency take on the county’s previous role. The board discussed timing and schedules but did not take a formal vote on providing the requested prize funding during the meeting.
Votes at a glance: the CRA approved the minutes for July 20, 07/08/2025 and 09/03/2025 on a motion from board member Sudbury, seconded by Vice Chair Audrey Pierce; the motion carried after members answered "Aye." The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn (mover and seconder recorded in the transcript); the chair declared the meeting adjourned.
The CRA also confirmed schedule changes for next month because of the Thanksgiving holiday and discussed aligning the CRA meeting date with the council meeting; City Manager Rickey said he would address co-scheduling in the council manager report.
