(TRENTON, NJ) -- The New Jersey State Council on the Arts awarded more than $15.7 million in grant funding to support 700 arts organizations, projects and artists throughout the state. The awards were announced at the Arts Council's 51st Annual Meeting held at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton on July 25.
"Today's awards demonstrate our continued commitment to preserving New Jersey's status as a national leader in public support for the arts," said Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno. "I'm proud of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for all its work in providing and stimulating critically important opportunities in the arts for people of all ages."
Council Chair Elizabeth Mattson remarked, "Every year my colleagues and I marvel at the work these arts organizations and artists are doing in every corner of the state. New Jersey truly is home to a thriving creative industry that seems to know no bounds."
The Council receives funding from the State of New Jersey through the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee legislation passed in 2003, which established a dedicated revenue source to support arts, history and tourism. Additionally the Arts Council receives annual competitive grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Funding decisions are made through a transparent, merit-based and rigorous grants process that assures access and equity. Independent peer panels evaluate grant applications to eliminate the possibility for conflict of interest.
Last year, Council grantees spent $275 million in New Jersey; employed an estimated 25,000 workers; and attracted nearly 7.5 million patrons who spent an additional $232 million in the state. The bottom line: New Jersey artists and arts organizations produced a dollar of local economic activity for every three cents they received from the State Arts Council.
In other business, the Council paid tribute to long-time board member Larry Carlbon (Hackettson) who passed away in April after 17 years of dedicated service. Mr. Carlbon served in various leadership positions throughout his tenure and was recently nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on the show State of the Arts.
Additionally, 47 organizations and projects that received the highest evaluations were recognized with Citations of Excellence. Thirty eight groups were designated as Major Arts, Presenting or Service organizations in recognition of their history of excellence, the breadth of their impact, and their longstanding leadership.
View a list of FY18 Grants by County. View a list of FY18 Grants by Category/Discipline. View a list of those honored with FY18 Citations and Majors designation.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, created in 1966, is a division of the NJ Department of State. The Council was established to encourage and foster public interest in the arts; enlarge public and private resources devoted to the arts; promote freedom of expression in the arts; and facilitate the inclusion of art in every public building in New Jersey. The Council receives direct appropriations from the State of New Jersey through a dedicated, renewable Hotel/Motel Occupancy fee, as well as competitive grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. To learn more about the Council, please visit www.artscouncil.nj.gov.
