BRATTLEBORO-In Life magazine's 2015 special issue commemorating the 50th anniversary of The Grateful Dead, an unexpected yet familiar name appears in the byline on page 81 - Sen. Patrick Leahy. The photo accompanying the article reveals its music-loving author and his family sitting onstage, smiling, as Jerry Garcia and keyboardist Vince Welnick perform at Giants Stadium in 1994.
"Would I call myself a Deadhead? With pride," said Leahy, who would go on to become one of the longest-serving U.S. Senators in history.
Originally elected to the Senate in 1974, "the Montpelier native may be best known for his extensive legislative resume and his commitment to human rights around the globe," wrote organizers.
Less well-known is the ardent support Sen. Leahy and Marcelle, his wife, have given to the arts and artists for decades.
It is that unsung aspect of the Leahys' legacy that the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center will celebrate at a summer garden party honoring the couple, on Friday, June 20, at 5 p.m., at a private home in Guilford.
Proceeds from the event will establish the Patrick and Marcelle Leahy Fund for Photography, which will support future photography exhibitions and programs at BMAC.
An avid amateur photographer, Sen. Leahy received his first camera, a gift from his mother when he was 4. "As the son of a printer in Montpelier, I learned early about the power of the printed word and the printed image," he said in an interview with Vermont Community Newspaper Group in 2024.
That childhood fascination with printed words and images led Leahy to comic books and a lifelong affinity for Batman. Leahy has written the introductions to several Batman publications and made cameo appearances in six Batman movies, the royalties from which he donates to Montpelier's Kellogg-Hubbard Library.
"When you consider Senator Leahy's formative experiences with printing, photography, and comic books, it comes as no surprise that he would develop a profound appreciation for those who devote their lives to creative expression," said BMAC Director Danny Lichtenfeld in a news release. "The Leahys are keenly aware of the vital role artists play in society and the power of the arts to build community, foster dialogue, and enrich lives."
In 2008, Americans for the Arts honored Senator Leahy with its National Award for Congressional Arts Leadership, noting his sponsorship of the Artist-Museum Partnership Act, his work on copyright issues of importance to artists, and his unwavering support of the National Endowment for the Arts.
When Leahy announced his retirement in 2021, The Recording Academy, which presents the Grammy Awards, issued a statement saying, "His steadfast dedication to creator's rights has made a huge impact over the last 47 years."
The statement went on to cite Leahy's work on the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, Performance Rights Act, American Music Fairness Act, and other legislation aimed at improving the lives of artists.
In the foreword to the catalogue accompanying BMAC's 2014 exhibition "World Leaders & Global Citizens: Photographs by Patrick Leahy," Dean William M. Treanor of Georgetown University Law Center wrote, "It may surprise people to learn that the man who is third in the line of presidential succession - after the Vice President and the Speaker of the House - is also an artist. What he's crafting, of course, is a better world."
Tickets for the June 20 event are $250 each and include a $150 tax-deductible donation to the Leahy Fund. They can be purchased at brattleboromuseum.org or by calling 802-257-0124, ext. 101.
Those who cannot attend but wish to donate to the fund are encouraged to do so. All donations received by June 15 will be recognized in a commemorative program to be presented to the Leahys at the June 20 event.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.