Senator Carrie Ruud (R- Breezy Point) received an Arts All Star Award from Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) in front of a capacity crowd during a performance of L’Exotique at the Lakes Area Music Festival on August 9th. The award was in recognition of Senator Ruud’s support of the arts in the 2017 legislative session.

 

“The Brained Lakes Region is fortunate to be represented by a legislator who understands the importance of the arts to their communities,” said Sheila Smith, Executive Director of MCA. “We appreciate Senator Ruud’s support of the arts importance to the economy in Minnesota’s Lakes Region and are grateful for her leadership in protecting Arts Legacy funds as Chair of the committee that oversees the Legacy Amendment.”

 

 Longtime lobbyist for Minnesota Citizens for the Arts Larry Redmond added, “In my many years of working for arts access for all Minnesotans I have never worked with a more thoughtful, common sense, strong and dedicated public servant than Carrie Ruud. All Minnesotans are lucky that the people of the Lakes Region of Minnesota have sent her to look out for all of us.” Redmond went on to say “With the combination of magnificent lakes, multiple recreational activities, first class arts events such as the Lakes Area Music Festival, dynamic political leaders like Carrie Ruud, the Brainerd/ Lakes Area truly has it all.”  

 

Senator Ruud is Chair of the Envrionment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance Committee that decides how Legacy Fund dollars are spent. Sen Ruud helped steer the Legacy bill through the Senate and Conference Committee to the overwhelming support of the Legislature.

 

Minnesota Citizens for the Arts is a statewide arts advocacy organization whose mission is to ensure opportunity for all people to have access to and involvement in the arts. MCA organizes the arts community and lobbies the Minnesota State Legislature and Congress on issues pertaining to nonprofit arts and conducting original research. MCA works with over 42,000 arts advocates in Minnesota. For more information on MCA, this project or statistics about the arts in Minnesota, please contact MCA at the above number. You can also view MCA’s website at www.artsmn.org.

 

The Lakes Area Music Festival Mission and Vision state: The Lakes Area Music Festival connects the nation’s best performers and audiences for excellent classical music and inspiring education and is a thriving worldwide hub for classical music and a force for broad and sustained development in central Minnesota.