Bieze.

The Eau Claire Regional Arts Center held their annual Jubilee event and started a new tradition, giving three annual awards to recognize those who make art possible, both the artists and those who support their endeavors. They also awarded a special lifetime achievement award at the end of the ceremony. The first award was given to Patricia Mayhew-Hamm as an artists in support of the arts. Mayhew-Hamm was recognized for offering workshops at the State Theatre and donating art to ECRAC in order to benefit the organization. The second award was given to a business that supported the arts and was awarded to Xcel Energy. ECRAC cited Xcel’s financial support, but also their volunteer time on the ECRAC Board of Directors and Board of Trustees, both of which have continued to increase recently. Xcel was also thanked for their other volunteer time during events and various other committees. Mel and Leann Breed were awarded the next honor for individuals in support of the arts. The Breeds were honored for being “proud parents” of the entire Eau Claire arts community by both providing support when needed and “giving that stern look when we misbehave.” Lastly, the final award was a lifetime achievement in the arts award given to Laurie Bieze, an Eau Claire resident who has worked both internationally and locally and was instrumental in creating and growing ECRAC.