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Senator Stanley Aronoff has been an instrumental advocate for the arts in the Cincinnati area and the State of Ohio for more than 40 years. A graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School, Aronoff began his political career in 1960 in the Ohio House of Representatives before being elected to the Ohio Senate. In the Senate, he served as President and Chairman of the Finance Committee where he consistently promoted funding for arts committees and councils. In 1965, he worked alongside Irma and Fred Lazarus to create the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). During his tenure as a legislative member of the OAC, Aronoff authored and assisted in the implementation of the Ohio Percent for Art legislation. The law provides funds for the acquisition, commissioning and installation of works of art for new and renovated public buildings with budgets of more than $4 million. As a key figure in the Cincinnati community, Aronoff has dedicated countless hours to organizations such as the Cincinnati Association for the Arts (CAA), the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, the Classical Music Hall of Fame and many, many others. In 1995, his dream of supplying the city with a public institution for the arts came true with the opening of the Aronoff Center for the Arts. The center, which houses three performance spaces, as well as the Weston Art Gallery, was named in Aronoff 's honor after he successfully assisted in securing $40 million for its construction. Even though he retired from the Ohio Legislature in 1996, Aronoff remains vocal about the importance of the arts.The Ohio Arts Council Board felt it was appropriate during the 40th anniversary of the agency that the Irma Lazarus Award be given to Stan Aronoff, one of the Council's founding fathers. Stan has been an incredible advocate for public support of the arts throughout his lifetime. Senator Stanley Aronoff 's recognition for his contribution to the arts is cemented in the continuous service he provides for both Cincinnati and the state of Ohio.
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