A Short (But Action-Packed) History of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts

Photo: Carole Achterhof & former MCA Executive Director Diane Gallert.Once Upon A Time…

In November 1975, a group of individuals formed Minnesota Citizens for the Arts to build stronger legislative support for the arts. With a handful of dedicated people, MCA began work during the 1976 legislative session when the arts were tied to the stadium bill.

“MCA is still the national leader in arts advocacy. From all the things I learned later on the national level, Minnesota is still the strong presence. And I think the best.”

—Diane Gallert

Although the Arts/Stadium bill did not pass, the session proved to be good preparation for the biennial appropriation to the Minnesota State Arts Board the following year. The effects of a unified advocacy group were demonstrated in 1977 when the biennial appropriation increased from $1 million to $4 million. Large and small arts organizations, individual artists, presenters and audiences from all parts of the state benefited from that increase.
Photo: Former MCA Presidents Maddie Simons and Gary Fretheim.
MCA’s first advocacy efforts were spearheaded by Hope Quackenbush, first Executive Director, Diane Gallert, second Executive Director, and Gary Fretheim, first President of the Board of Directors. “In the 1977 session, we had Brown Bag Day. Everybody on the important committees was visited by a constituent with a bag lunch. Some brought candelabras with the sandwiches,” said Fretheim.

Former board member Mary Martin recalled that “Gary Fretheim would get in his car on Saturdays and drive all over the state with his kids, promoting MCA. He was the heart and soul of the organization. And for both Diane and Megan [Jones, Executive Director 1980-84], it was more than a job. It was a lifestyle.”

Larry Redmond, MCA lobbyist since 1977, remembers Easter weekend of that year, when a Rock County state senator was reluctant to move forward with the proposed arts appropriation of $4 million. “That weekend, the first of the important MCA grassroots efforts took place. A group of arts activists from Rock County, led by Carole Achterhof and others under the MCA banner, organized a grassroots contact. The senator had several hundred contacts over an awkward weekend,” said Redmond. “It was the clearest evidence of Former MCA Presidents Maddie Simons and Gary Fretheim how much support there was in individual districts, including rural districts. It also showed the results you could get if you coordinated your efforts. That empowered and reinforced those who had been working on this since 1975.”

“The arts were thought of as elitist, the plaything of the rich and powerful. MCA has done more to change that attitude than anything else.”

—Gary Fretheim, founder and first President of MCA

After hard-won incremental successes, MCA hit some rocky times at the legislature as well, particularly during the early 1980s and the early 1990s, when budget crises sent panic through the government and massive funding cuts swept state agencies. In 1981 and 1982, arts funding dropped 12% and 25%, respectively.

“The early 1980s were very traumatic for the state. There was a significant statewide recession. MSAB went down to $3 million. It was hard to keep your morale up,” said Redmond. “But we held it together. The community rallied and clearly signaled that they understood cuts would have to be made, but the arts were important and shouldn’t be slaughtered wholesale.”

As the fiscal nightmares of the early 1980s subsided, MCA shifted from a defensive mode back into the offense. Over the next several appropriations cycles, MCA was able to recover the lost ground and move the appropriations to ever-higher levels. These victories culminated in the $12 million initiative in 1997 that brought an 80% increase in state funding for the arts, making Minnesota second in the nation in per capita funding for the arts. In 1999, MCA successfully fought off an attempt to cut the state appropriation in half. MCA also helped pass the exemption from sales tax on admissions to arts events and protects current tax exemptions for nonprofit arts organizations.

MCA has helped change the landscape of the arts over time. “The arts were thought of as elitist, the plaything of the rich and powerful. MCA has done more to change that attitude than anything else,” said Fretheim. MCA’s strengths remain its focus of purpose, unity of message and uncomplicated mission. “We want the smallest little theater group to feel a kinship with the biggest,” said Redmond. “Simplicity of purpose is the genius of the organization.”

Photo: Former MCA President Ben Vander Kooi Jr.
and State Senator Gary DeCramer, 1984. MCA’s Board Presidents
Gary Fretheim, 1975-77
Maddie Simons, 1977-78
John Fischer, 1978-80
Karen Jensen, 1980-81
Karen Gray, 1981-83
Curt Lambrecht, 1983-84
Jean Fournier, 1984-86
Gordon Dodge, 1986-87
John Roth, 1987-89
Bill Miller, 1989-91
Charles Skrief, 1991-93
Jennifer Halcrow, 1993-95
Ben Vander Kooi, Jr., 1995-97
Steve Barberio, 1997-99
Sean Dowse, 1999-2001
Barbara Davis, 2001-2003
Rebecca Petersen, 2003-2005
Michael Robins, 2006-present

MCA’s Executive Directors
Hope Quackenbush, 1975-77
Diane Gallert, 1977-80
Megan Jones, 1980-84
Ellen McInnis, 1984-88
Pam Perri Weaver, 1988-95
Sheila Smith, 1996-present