Lakes Area Music Festival to Receive Significant Grant From The National Endowment For The Arts

According to a press release from the National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu, they have approved more than $30 million in grants as part of the NEA’s first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2017. An Art Works grant of $10,000 to the Lakes Area ninth annual Music Festival season was also included in the announcement for the Brainerd-based organization. The Art Works category focuses on the creation of art that meets a high standard of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, the strengthening of communities through the arts, and lifelong learning in the arts.

The arts are for all of us, and by supporting organizations such as the Lakes Area Music Festival, the National Endowment for the Arts is providing more opportunities for the public to engage with the arts,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “Whether in a theater, a town square, a museum, or a hospital, the arts are everywhere and make our lives richer.”

Of the award, LAMF Artistic and Executive Director Scott Lykins said, “anyone who has attended our performances in recent years has experienced the result of a strong organization connecting exceptionally talented musicians with a supportive community. It is an honor to be judged alongside leading ensembles nationwide and to receive credit for not only for our artistic excellence, but also for our unique commitment to making live music performance accessible. Having the National Endowment for the Arts recognize the achievements of this organization is a testament to, and a celebration of, the combined dedication of so many individuals which will make our ninth annual season this summer a success.”