A Gem Awarded in Maple Grove

Twin Cities TOSCA recently honored Maple Grove resident, Lorrie Link, with a Gem Award for her contribution to the arts.

Link was honored for her founding of the and efforts to make the center assessable to the public. The award is for the 2009-2010 year.

"It is an honor to receive recognition for something that I feel so passionately about in the community that I live," Link said of receiving the award. "The Maple Grove Arts Center is Maple Grove's 'front porch'— a starting point for everyone to engage in the arts."

The Twin Cities TOSCA organization awards TOSCARS and Gem Awards to people or organizations striving to promote arts and culture in Minnesota. TOSCA, which stands for Theatre, Opera, Shakespeare, Culture and Art, hosts art events and publishes a quarterly, privately owned arts magazine Exploring TOSCA that describes arts events and features local artists in the Twin Cities and Duluth areas.

"While we love Hamlet’s statement the play’s the thing, we at TOSCA also believe that the audience is the thing too. We are especially proud of those who have made meaningful efforts to invite, entice and welcome citizens into the world of arts and culture in Minnesota,” said Gail Weber, owner of Twin Cities TOSCA, in a press release.

The awards ceremony took place Oct. 13 at the Nina Bliese Gallery in Minneapolis. On hand was speaker Peggy Burnet, an arts advocated and member of the Minnesota State Arts Board as well as performers mezzo-soprano Alyssa Anderson accompanied by pianist Julian Ward.

Twin Cities TOSCA recognized the following Minnesotans for their contributions in connecting Minnesota citizens to the state’s arts and culture:

2009-2010 TOSCA GEM Recipients

Lorrie Link (Maple Grove Arts Center founder)

Scott Pakudaitis (Frequent theatre attender)

Jackie Regan (Theatre Volunteer of the Year)

Brian Hesser (Theatre Volunteer of the Year)

2009-2010 TOSCAR Recipients

Theatre in the Round

Opera Margaret Meyers

Shakespeare The Great River Shakespeare Festival

Culture Twin Cities Daily Planet

Art Leon Zobel