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The largest arts organizations in Salt Lake County are likely to get a bit more money in 2015 from the Zoo Arts and Parks (ZAP) tax.

Salt Lake County Council members signed off Tuesday on an advisory group's recommendation for a 23-way split of an estimated $9,965,368 next year from the tax, which adds a penny to every $10 purchase in the county.

That projection is about 1.4 percent more than was available to the groups in 2014. Actual revenue figures will not be available until late spring.

Advisory group chairman Richard Turpin told the council that November's vote in which ZAP was overwhelmingly reauthorized for another 10 years reflected public appreciation for the way these tax dollars are being spent.

To emphasize their value, he noted that the 23 recipients spent $67 million last year in the county, entertained 3.8 million visitors (including 1.6 million free admissions), employed 821 full-time and 1,600 part-time workers — plus 8,500 volunteers — and presented educational programs attended by 485,000 people.

"This has to make ZAP one of the most popular programs in the county," Turpin said.

The Utah Symphony & Opera was the largest individual recipient of ZAP funding. It is set to get about $2.2 million — or about 22 percent of the ZAP money available for large groups. The next-largest group of recipients , which received $900,000 to almost $1 million, included Natural History Museum of Utah, Ballet West, Hale Centre Theatre and Red Butte Garden and Arboretum.

The smallest allocations went to the Grand Theatre Foundation at Salt Lake Community College ($56,000), Art Access ($65,000), Utah Heritage Foundation ($69,000) and Repertory Dance Theatre ($86,000).

State law limits the number of eligible large arts groups to 23. With 25 applications, the advisory group dropped The Leonardo and Kingsbury Hall Presents. Both were encouraged to apply again once issues are resolved. The Leonardo had only two years of audited financial statements — the law requires three — and that its "minimum financial health criteria" need improving. The advisory board said more time was needed to improve Kingsbury Hall's financial situation. —

Top ZAP recipients

The Salt Lake County Council signed off on a plan to divide Zoo, Arts and Parks (ZAP) tax funds among 23 large arts organizations. Projected 2015 revenue for the top 10 recipients are:

Utah Symphony & Opera • $2.2 million

Natural History Museum • $993,500

Ballet West • $949,000

Hale Centre Theatre • $919,000

Red Butte Garden & Arboretum • $912,000

Pioneer Theatre Co. • $677,000

The Living Planet Aquarium • $543,000

Salt Lake Film Society • $277,500

Discovery Gateway • $274,000

Salt Lake City Arts Council • $273,000

Source: Salt Lake Count