Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education, and the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) announce that Iowa Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds will be awarded the Public Leadership in the Arts Award for State Arts Leadership today at the NLGA’s Annual Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The annual award honors a public official who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the advancement of the arts at the state level.

 

Reynolds has served as Lieutenant Governor of Iowa since 2011 and currently chairs the NLGA, working to ensure that arts and culture are always on their conference’s agendas. She also co-chairs the governor’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Advisory Council, where she plays a central role promoting the arts through STEM.

 

Reynolds has been a staunch supporter of Americans for the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council. She was on the host committee of the Iowa Arts Advocacy Caucus in August 2015—which provided statewide advocacy training for arts leaders, educators, artists, and advocates—and gave the official welcome for the Iowa ArtsVote 2016 conference. These events were held at the same time as the Iowa State Fair, on which Reynolds served as Governor Terry Branstad’s board representative. 

 

Reynolds is continually impressed with the dynamic and innovative female leadership that she meets throughout the state. In June 2015 she began honoring three female artists from the Iowa Women’s Art Exhibition, in conjunction with Art Week Des Moines. Displaying the art in her formal office has continued to give Reynolds the opportunity to recognize the important role that female artists play in developing and supporting creative and economic vitality in Iowa. 

 

“Throughout our history, Iowa has been blessed with a rich artistic culture, from Grant Wood’s ‘American Gothic,’ to our beautiful Pappajohn Sculpture Park in Des Moines, to great local artists like Rose Frantzen from Maquoketa. The teaching of the arts to our children is an important piece of a well-rounded education, and I’m proud that Iowa is a leader in doing so,” remarked Reynolds. 

 

“Creative expression is a fundamental asset in the competitive portfolio of any state, and I applaud Lieutenant Governor Reynolds for actively promoting and advocating for the arts and arts education on the state level,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts.

 

“The Iowa Alliance for Arts Education would like to congratulate Lieutenant Governor Reynolds as the recipient of the 2016 Public Leadership in the Arts Award,” said Leon Kuehner, Executive Director of the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education. “She has been very willing to collaborate with arts education organizations in Iowa and share her appreciation and commitment to the arts as part of a well-rounded education for Iowa students. Her leadership on these issues is greatly appreciated.” 

 

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C., and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. For more information, visit www.AmericansForTheArts.org.