Believing in the Arts
This article, written by Sandy Susag, was originally published in the Spring 2022 issue of ‘Definitive Woman’ magazine.
A cattle ranch and a one-room schoolhouse were the starting points leading up to an amazing career of arts funding in Minnesota. While living on a cattle ranch in Montana might sound “exciting” to many–it was a remote location, and Maxine Adams shared her school experiences with only four other students up until her eighth grade year.
Maxine Adams with Dan Broten, the executive director of the Landmark Center in Henning, MN as he receives a grant check for his organization.
Maxine always felt the joy that books bring. She remembers her mother constantly reading to her–fueling her imagination with visions of exciting faraway places. Poems were especially appealing to her, and she remembers reciting A Visit from St. Nicholas in a school pageant at the tender age of six. Besides being an avid reader, she cultivated her love of drawing and writing.
Her family moved from Baudette, in northern Minnesota, to Clitherall, in west central Minnesota, in 1970. Due to the remoteness of her home, actual physical access to arts events was extremely limited. A traveling theatre program brought a performance of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar to her hometown and instilled in her soul a deep passion to bring the arts to rural areas. In 1982, Maxine moved to Fergus Falls to be closer to family.
When Maxine chose to attend college, she describes herself as an “older than average student,” taking several literature and writing classes. She had concentrated on painting and drawing in high school but found it to be frustrating, labeling herself as an average artist. According to her own self-assessment, channeling what she saw in her head was difficult to transport to her fingers and ultimately, to the canvas.
Maxine working with past LRAC Board president, Stan Goldade.
What does she perceive as her strength in the world of the arts? “Writing,” she answered. Maxine is a published author and has had her poetry included in several anthologies.
She also enjoys photography and was a recipient of a Lake Region Arts Council Career Development grant for photography. When it comes to activities like singing, dancing, or playing an instrument, she describes her prowess as “miserable.”
With the appearance of grandchildren in her life, she has found opportunities to attend concerts, performances, and theatrical productions. Her career, as the Executive Director of the Lakes Region Arts Council (LRAC) of Fergus Falls, keeps her closely connected with the many local arts organizations and local artists that are thriving in the region. She tries to keep her creative juices flowing, and most recently has been designing and crafting seasonal wreaths.
“We are torn in so many different ways with our time, energy, and attention. We must keep the arts a part of our lives. It is imperative to keep BELIEVING in the arts.”
As Executive Director of the LRAC, for the past 18 years she has led the organization in providing assistance to not only artists but to arts organizations. The organization offers both financial assistance and important opportunities to grow and expand its outreach.
Maxine at the Arts Resource Fair
LRAC is funded by the legislature through a state appropriation and funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Legacy Fund, as well as funding from the McKnight Foundation. LRAC grants and services help organizations to “think outside the box.” LRAC offers several grant rounds, which enables arts groups to receive assistance with their operating expenses, collaborations projects, and individual group opportunities, to name a few.
The small LRAC staff of three are responsible for helping the arts survive, especially during these tenacious times of COVID. At a time when many organizations cannot perform or bring in outside theatre companies, LRAC has helped provide sustainability to get them through this dark time.
Reflecting on the future of the arts, Maxine believes the arts have always been about telling humanity’s story and connecting us as human beings. An optimist, Maxine believes the arts are especially valuable during times of transition and uncertainty.
Art facilitates us in navigating the future, she believes. Bolstering and preserving the arts can be accomplished by buying artwork from local artists, attending an art event put on by local organizations, or financially donating to arts organizations. One way to support the arts is to contact your state legislative members and emphasize to them the importance of the Arts and Cultural Heritage Legacy Funding that supports the arts locally.
It can be discouraging, expressed Maxine, for the people who love the arts. We are torn in so many different ways with our time, energy, and attention. We must keep the arts a part of our lives.
It is imperative to keep BELIEVING in the arts. Maxine is working every day to leave a long-lasting, permanent impact on the world of the arts.
Her passion, drive, and resilience are evident in the great strides that have been made by many regional arts groups. For many people the words “ARTS” and “Maxine Adams” are interchangeable. Her legacy will be that she worked tirelessly for the promotion and sustainability of the arts, no matter what modality they assume.
