(BURLINGTON, NJ) -- ArtPride New Jersey, the state’s largest arts service organization, is thrilled to commemorate Discover Jersey Arts Month in October by welcoming back audiences to live entertainment. Held in partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts during National Arts and Humanities Month, Discover Jersey Arts Month celebrates the joy, entertainment, and enrichment the arts bring to communities throughout the state.

“For nearly 18 months, arts organizations have been shuttered or operating in drastically different capacities, and yet, we’ve seen our arts sector go above and beyond, finding innovative ways to engage and support their communities when we’ve needed them the most,” said Allison Tratner, Executive Director of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. “We are extremely grateful for Governor Murphy’s continued support of the arts, and his recognition of the critical role the arts play in our state’s ongoing recovery.”

Officially designated by a gubernatorial proclamation, Discover Jersey Arts Month highlights the economic, educational, and social impact the arts have on our lives. Additionally, it commends artists and cultural groups for developing inspiring ways to offer hope and healing to our neighborhoods during the COVID-19 pandemic, and recognizes that the overall recovery and continued vitality of our state would not be possible without the arts.

“We are proud to observe Discover Jersey Arts Month and lift up artists and arts organizations statewide who are safely opening their doors to bring people together,” said Adam Perle, President & CEO of ArtPride. “This is a wonderful celebration of the incredible resilience of our creative community, with patrons and performers rejoicing at the opportunity to once again share unique experiences that entertain, inspire, and connect us.”

Individuals can celebrate Discover Jersey Arts Month and the safe return of live entertainment by enjoying arts events throughout New Jersey. To find fall festivities; a directory of arts groups throughout the state; and feature stories, videos and podcasts, visit JerseyArts.com.

Discover Jersey Arts is a program of the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation dedicated to increasing the awareness of and participation in the arts statewide. The JerseyArts.com website showcases New Jersey’s creative community with feature stories, videos and podcasts; highlighted events; details on Jersey Arts Membership; and other content. Discover Jersey Arts was cofounded and is supported by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

The ArtPride New Jersey Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that promotes the value of the arts to New Jersey’s quality of life, education and economic vitality through research and a variety of programs and services. 

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, created in 1966, is a division of the N.J. 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.