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Stamford to Honor Former Leader for Arts Support

STAMFORD, Conn. — Moira Lyons supported arts funding when she was the speaker of Connecticut's House of Representatives. This March, she will be honored for those efforts at the Stamford Center for the Arts’ third annual Palace Gala.

“All too often, when budgets get stressed, the first entity looked at is the arts and they are put in jeopardy,” said the five-year board member for the Stamford Center for the Arts. “I believe they are integral to any community.”

Lyons, a Stamford resident who is no longer in the state Legislature, is able to see the impact of local theater in her own backyard. She said it's about more than just selling tickets to shows at the Palace Theatre — it’s also about giving young performers a platform to showcase their talents.  

“The center for the arts is a community entity that brings different younger groups in to feel a sense of confidence and feel like, ‘I can sing and I can perform. People are coming to see me,’” she said.

Lyons served on the board of trustees of Stamford’s Ferguson Library for five years and is currently on the Citizen’s Advisory Council. She is also director of community and government relations for Norwalk Community College.

For all her work, Lyons will receive the Annual Arts Ovation Award at the Palace Theatre on March 30.  

Michael Widland, who will also be receiving this award, has played an equally integral role in the success of Stamford Center for the Arts. A partner with Shipman & Goodwin LLP in Stamford, he has been able to lend his financial expertise to Stamford Center for the Arts and has helped it become stronger as an institution. He serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

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