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For Immediate Release
December 16, 2008
Media Contact
- Allison Tratner
- 609.292.4524
- allison@arts.sos.state.nj.us
State Arts Council Awards Grants and Highlights Public Art in New Jersey
(Trenton, NJ) At the December meeting of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, held at the State House Annex in Trenton, the Council voted to distribute the remainder of FY09 grant funds that will support a variety of programs statewide. Additionally, Tom Moran, director of Artists’ Services at the Council, presented updates on public art projects recently completed and in-progress through the New Jersey Arts Inclusion Program.
Over $18 million in Arts Council funding for grants was awarded at its Annual Meeting in July to support more than 800 arts organizations, programs and projects across the state. At today’s meeting the Council awarded a little over $140,000 in remaining grant funds. “In the current economic climate we want to put all the resources at our disposal to work in New Jersey to provide excellent arts experiences for our residents and visitors,” said Judith Leone, chair of the Grants Committee. “We know that every dollar we invest provides benefits to local economies, education, healthcare, tourism, youth-at-risk and so much more.” The following motions were approved:
$7,000 awarded to the South Jersey Cultural Alliance for the cosponsored Arts and Healing Initiative to support an additional artist residency project for seniors in southern New Jersey.
$11,338 awarded to the Artists in Education Consortium cosponsorship through Young Audiences NJ to support after-school artist residencies in southern New Jersey.
$101,687 awarded through the Local Arts Program to the 8 southern New Jersey County Arts Agencies to support their 2009 activities.
$15,000 to Rutgers Graduate School of Management to support the cosponsored Arts Administration Internship program for college students.
$5,000 to ArtPride New Jersey Foundation to support the cosponsored New Jersey Arts Economic Impact Study.
“Through this relatively small investment of remaining grant funds, the Council is able to benefit seniors, youth, local emerging arts groups, promising young arts administrators, and help document the economic impact the arts have on our state,” said Steve Runk, Arts Council executive director. “Every dollar awarded will provide a big return in public benefit.”
Arts Council Director of Artists' Services Tom Moran presented the Council with an overview of the statewide public art projects completed and underway as part of the New Jersey Arts Inclusion Program which is administered in part by the Council. Since the passage of the Arts Inclusion Act in 1978, this program has led to the commissioning and installation of hundreds of artworks in state financed construction projects. Highlights of Mr. Moran’s presentation included projects at the Liberty Science Center, the Rutgers Law School in Camden, Trenton Transit Center and the Newark Light Rail. In addition, he spoke about the recently dedicated New Jersey World War II Memorial and the New Jersey Capital Park project underway alongside and behind the New Jersey State House.
“It is marvelous to see such excellent work that presents a new perspective, memorializes our past, and enlivens our communities. Public art is one of the important contributions artists make to the quality of life in our state,” said Arts Council Chair Carol Herbert in remarking on the public art presentation. “New Jersey is home to some of the most extraordinary artists and arts organizations,” she continued, “who are devoted to bringing out the beauty, telling the stories and carrying us through even the toughest of times.”
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