It’s time to break up the doldrums of January with the third annual JanuARTy event at Valley Fair Shopping Center in West Valley, Utah, on Saturday, January 17, 2026. This free day features artist booths, vendors, panels, cosplayers, contests, and kid-friendly activities. KellieAnn will even be coming out of her shell to run a kids’ crafting booth and host a panel at the event! Titled “Keep Creating! Getting Started on Julia Cameron’s ‘Artist Way.’”

On this episode of Fan Effect, KellieAnn is joined by event founder Ryan Sagers to discuss how the event celebrates creativity, local artists, and more, all for a good cause. This year’s event benefits The Utah Lunch Debt Relief Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating school lunch debt in Utah, once and for all. So come and feed your creativity while helping feed Utah’s kids!

Also joining this episode is a local professional veteran artist with over 30 years in the entertainment industry, Adrian Ropp, to discuss his career and creativity. You might have seen his work at Disney, Pixar, Marvel Comics, Star Wars, Archie, Underdog, Pink Panther, Rocky & Bullwinkle – as well as an industry-leading game writer/artist with “Disney Infinity” and “Hogwarts Legacy.” He provides inspiration for budding artists and gives tips on supporting artists while identifying and defeating art thieves.

The brains behind Fan Effect are connoisseurs of categories surpassing nerdy, with a goal to publish a weekly “What to Watch on the Weekend” minisode taken from KSL-TV’s Friday segment, and two deep-dives a month on shows, creative works, artists, local events, and other fandom topics.

Based in the beautiful Beehive State, Fan Effect celebrates Utah’s unique fan culture as it has been declared The Nerdiest State in America by TIME, and is hosted by KSL Movie Show’s Andy Farnsworth and Deseret News / KSL Podcasts’ KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Listen regularly on your favorite platform, at kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSLNewsRadio App. Join the conversation on Facebook @FanEffectShow, or Instagram @FanEffectShow.

Fan Effect is sponsored by Megaplex Theatres, Utah’s premier movie entertainment company.

(Originally Published December 30th, 2025, 11:00 am)

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Utah: This is the place… for Fans!

The “Utah Fan Culture” podcast and blog highlight Utah’s unique place in storytelling, arts, and entertainment — as well as the fans that support them.

Utah is unlike any other state due to its clash of conservative and liberal arts scenes, as well as a stunning variety of natural locations showcased at museums, venues, conventions, filming locations, historic landmarks, and more. That, coupled with community support, as Utah is ranked #1 for live arts participation per capita, showcases that “This is the place… for fans!” Even TIME declared it the Nerdiest State of the Union in 2014.

At Utah Fan Culture, former KSL’s “Fan Effect Podcast” host and producer, KellieAnn Halvorsen, continues her work showcasing fans, fandoms, and fantastic storytelling through reviews, interviews, and event spotlights.

Quote of the week

“That’s the wonderful thing with nerds: they’re enthusiasts. Not having a life means you get to love things with a passion and nobody bothers you about it.”
― John Burnside, The Glister

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