(SUMMIT, NJ) -- The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey (VACNJ) is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $30,000. This grant will support an upcoming exhibition series highlighting sustainability, biodiversity, and ecological issues affecting the planet's health. The NEA will award 1,127 Grants for Arts Projects awards nationwide totaling more than $31.8 million as part of the recent announcement of fiscal year 2025 grants.

“The NEA is proud to continue our nearly 60 years of supporting the efforts of organizations and artists that help to shape our country’s vibrant arts sector and communities of all types across our nation,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “It is inspiring to see the wide range of creative projects taking place, including those at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey.”

In the Fall of 2025, VACNJ will showcase artwork focused on the health of our endangered planet. Four exhibitions will highlight artists who address sustainability, biodiversity, and ecological issues. Artworks will educate, inspire, and engage the public in important environmental issues, fostering a sense of responsibility and empowerment to make a positive difference in the world.

“We are deeply thankful to the NEA for their generous support,” said Melanie Cohn, Executive Director of VACNJ. “This funding is essential in helping us explore the important topic of our planet’s health through the arts. The exhibitions and programs made possible by this grant will enable us to share powerful work with communities across New Jersey while inspiring dialogue, education, and engagement around environmental issues. Our hope is to encourage a deeper connection to these topics and empower individuals to make a positive impact.”

For more information on other projects included in the NEA’s grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States.

For more than 90 years, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey has been exclusively dedicated to viewing, making, and learning about contemporary art. Recognized as a leading non-profit arts organization, the Art Center’s renowned Studio School, acclaimed exhibitions, and educational outreach initiatives serve thousands of youths, families, seniors, and people with special needs annually. 

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is located at 68 Elm Street in Summit, NJ. Gallery hours: Monday–Thursday, 10:00am–8:00pm; Friday & Saturday, 10:00am–5:00pm; and Sunday, 11:00am–4:00pm. Please call 908.273.9121 to confirm holiday hours.

Major support for the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is provided by the Wilf Family Foundations; New Jersey State Council on the Arts; and the Art Center community of supporters.