Award Honorees

Scott Artley ’05 is a disabled queer artist and activist. He has made it his mission to support artists in Minnesota and has dedicated his career to empowering marginalized voices through the arts. He brings a blend of nonprofit leadership, artistry, and social justice advocacy to every project.

As a cultural producer, he built environments for people to create collective meaning together through art and cultural experiences. As an artist, he has generated artistic content that ranged from visual to performance work.

Artley will tell you, “Art saved my life, quite literally, and it’s why my work has centered on making space for people outside of the mainstream to find meaning and community through art.”

When he started to engage with his queer identity and disability activism, everything started to flow. During Scott’s first job out of college, he coordinated fundraising efforts at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis. Within a year, he assumed responsibility for coordinating Audience Services where he ensured people with disabilities felt supported and included in the audience.

Next, Scott was hired to be the first Accessibility Program Director at the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC). It was his job to help underrepresented artists secure vital resources while building community through creativity, mentorship and advocacy. In collaboration with MRAC staff, Scott developed and managed accessible grant programs for artists and arts organizations in the Twin Cities Metro that provided resources to expand the arts participation of people with disabilities in the region.

After leaving MRAC, he started his own dynamic accessibility consulting business focused on strategic planning, assessments, training and speaking engagements. His work bridges the gap between imaginative creativity and practical implementation. Scott has helped organizations nationwide envision and execute disability access plans that reach beyond legal compliance to foster authentic belonging.

“It takes courage to create, and it’s a joy to make space for people where they feel safe to express themselves. Keep your eye on opportunities to challenge yourself, to make yourself uncomfortable, because that’s where you learn the most about who you are, and who you want to be for others.”