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For Immediate Release
May 21, 2009
Media Contact
- Allison Tratner
- 609.292.4524
- allison@arts.sos.state.nj.us
State Arts Council Announces Funding and Focuses on Arts Education for all Students
(Trenton, NJ) The New Jersey State Council on the Arts held a public business meeting at the Appel Farm Arts and Music Center in Elmer on Tuesday. The May Council meeting is historically devoted to highlighting the Council's work in arts education as well as fiscal year-end business. The Council voted on recommendations of the Grants and Arts Education Committees and the following motions were approved:
The balance of remaining FY09 funds was awarded to support the 2009-2010 Artists in Education (AIE) program which includes long-term in-school and after-school artist residencies statewide.
The roster of artists reviewed and approved to conduct in-school residencies statewide.
As a priority, the Council is committed to continuing support for all current arts education cosponsorships to the fullest extent possible in FY10.
The Council's distribution of grant funds will be changed for the FY10 grants cycle to release 85% (formerly 75%) of the grant upon execution of the grant agreement with 15% (formerly 25%) held as a final payment until the final report on the grant is received and accepted. This change is an effort to help arts organizations manage potential cash flow challenges in the current economy.
In announcing the new distribution of Council funding, Grants Committee Chair Judith Leone noted, "Having more of the Council's award upfront in the grant period can help groups with the timing of cash in and cash out, and can help eliminate the need for groups to have to secure short-term credit, which adds further to the cost of doing business."
The Arts Education Committee reported on the progress of an array of Arts Council programs including an update on the New Jersey Arts Education Partnership, the Artists in Education after-school program, the New Jersey Writers Project, Poetry Out Loud and the upcoming Artist/Teacher Institute, which provides professional development for teachers and artists from across the state. The Artist/Teacher Institute was recently certified by the New Jersey Education Association's Professional Development Institute.
Arts Education Committee Vice Chair Arthur Factor noted, "In this time of sea change we need the transformative power of the arts more than ever. And more than ever, our young people need art and arts education. As our education system is being recast for 21st century learning, creativity is the unifying lens."
In a report from Council Chair Carol Ann Herbert, she noted it was as important as ever to tell the story of the impact the arts have on our economy, stating that, "In New Jersey the nonprofit arts industry generates $1.5 billion in economic activity, returns $36 million in State tax revenues, and supports 82,000 jobs and 17,000 businesses."
In addition to reports from Council committees, the New Jersey Arts Education Partnership provided a presentation on the Model Schools program. The Partnership is made up of the Arts Council, the New Jersey State Department of Education, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey and ArtPride New Jersey Foundation, and is the central resource for arts education advocacy in the state. Through the Model Schools program the Partnership has been seeking to document New Jersey schools that are successfully meeting the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards in the visual and performing arts in order to share models and best practices with schools statewide.
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