[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 186 (Thursday, December 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2524]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING THE MINNESOTA STATE ARTS BOARD, RECIPIENT OF THE 2007 
                NATIONAL ACCESSIBILITY LEADERSHIP AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 6, 2007

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the 
Minnesota State Arts Board as the recipient of the 2007 National 
Accessibility Leadership Award.
  On behalf of the Twin Cities and the citizens of Minnesota, I wish to 
congratulate the Minnesota State Arts Board for receiving this special 
award sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the National 
Assembly of State Arts Agencies. The National Accessibility Leadership 
Award recognizes the Minnesota State Arts Board's exceptional 
leadership and highly effective work to make the arts fully inclusive 
throughout their organization, programming and State.
  Board Chair, Andrew Berryhill, the board members, and Executive 
Director, Thomas Proehl, are to be commended for their invaluable 
leadership that has made the Minnesota Arts Board a model of 
accessibility. The Board has built accessibility into every aspect of 
what it does: its office space, programming, requirements for grantees, 
and its efforts to reach and serve artists with disabilities.
  In March 2002, the Minnesota State Arts Board joined with VSA arts of 
Minnesota to present the first-ever statewide forum entitled ``The Art 
of Employment: Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities''. As a 
result, the Artists With Disabilities Alliance was formed in the Twin-
cities area, bringing artists with disabilities together to work on 
projects to advance arts training and career opportunities. 
Subsequently, the Arts Board, in partnership with its regional arts 
councils, organized and created six regional artists' networks 
throughout Minnesota. The Minnesota State Arts Board continues to 
provide support to the regional groups for a wide variety of 
activities, such as exhibits, performances, workshops, marketing, and 
access accommodations. In fact, this highly successful regional model 
is presently being replicated by the Texas Commission on the Arts.
  In August 2007, the Minnesota State Arts Board took a major step to 
expand its technical assistance work on a national level by co-hosting 
the ``Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability'' conference with the 
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The meeting brought 
together 180 artists, arts administrators, educators, and accessibility 
consultants from around the country to further advance their skills in 
making the arts fully accessible. This gathering highlighted the 
board's work to ensure access to Minnesota's art and programming.
  Madam Speaker, in honor of the Minnesota State Arts Board, its staff, 
board members, and advisors, I am pleased to submit this statement for 
the Congressional Record in recognition of their hard work and 
dedication to increasing access to the arts.

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