Minnetonka Public Schools — Transcript
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
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Minnetonka Schools honors arts advocate Scott Arley
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Presentation of Distinguished Service Award to Scott Arley
The award recognized Scott Arley for his significant service in empowering marginalized voices through the arts, his pioneering work as the first accessibility program director at the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, and his ongoing contributions through his consultancy and involvement with numerous arts organizations across the Twin Cities and nationally. Speakers highlighted his mentorship, advocacy, and dedication to building inclusive communities, particularly through his personal mission to create spaces where everyone belongs and to fill societal gaps.
Notable Quotes (3)
As the first accessibility program director at the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, he has helped underrepresented artists secure vital resources while been in the community through a creativity, mentorship, and advocacy.
Scott is one of those rare people who orients himself around seeing gaps and seeing the needs, seeing the way that society could be but isn't yet, and devotes himself to building and filling those gaps.
I never really felt like I belonged. And so I made a career about making other people feel like they belong and finding my way into communities that I could build so that we could build them together and make them be what we want them to be.