Barbara Reuther
Morris Arts is delighted to announce that Director of Programs, Barbara Reuther was awarded the Arts Education Visionary Award at the Made in Morris: Arts in Action Breakfast on October 30, 2025. Hosted by the Morris County Tourism Bureau, the breakfast recognized several individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to the arts in Morris County. The Arts Education Visionary Award recognizes leaders who ignite creativity, nurture talent, and expand access to the arts.
For over 20 years, Barbara Reuther has been instrumental in the implementation of Morris Arts' Arts in Education programming which reaches 95,000+ students each year through engaging arts assemblies, workshops, and residencies. Residencies, a cornerstone of the program and a major focus of Reuther's work, are in-depth two-to-six-week programs that weave the arts into a school's curriculum. Led by a teaching artist, residencies engage students in a long-term project ranging from mural painting to stop motion animation to creative writing.
These meaningful experiences help students learn to express themselves creatively, collaborate with others, gain self-confidence, and succeed in school. Students who are involved in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement according to Americans for the Arts.
But before any of these benefits can be realized, before a teaching artist even sets foot in a school, there's a whole lot of work done behind-the-scenes that lays the groundwork for a successful residency experience.
That's where Barbara comes in. It all starts with a directory of highly experienced teaching artists which she carefully curates and maintains. The directory, available online, features teaching artists who perform assemblies, workshops, and residencies across a variety of creative disciplines including dance, music, theatre, writing, storytelling, the visual arts, and even circus and puppeteering.
In addition to the online directory, each year Barbara puts together Morris Arts' Arts in Education Program Guide, a printed catalogue featuring teaching artists and their programs. Both the online directory and Program Guide are invaluable resources for teachers, administrators, and parents looking to bring arts programming to their school.
For those wanting an even deeper dive into arts programming for students, Barbara organizes the Arts in Education Showcase each spring. During this event, teaching artists showcase highlights from their full-length programs allowing attendees to preview over 15 performances in one morning.
"Why did I go to the Showcase? I wanted to get the vibe of the artist," said Tracy Fox who served as a cultural arts representative at her children's schools for many years and subsequently became a teaching artist herself. She explained that seeing artists perform live was a great indication as to whether they'd be a good match for her children's school and their learning goals. Attending was an important step beyond just reading about them on paper. "What I always loved about Barbara is just how passionately she supported everyone - the artists, the school community, the teachers, and the parents – one hundred percent she was open and excited to be there for creative community building," continued Fox.
In addition to providing these resources, Barbara approaches schools herself to advocate for the benefits of an artist residency, explain what programs are available, and help them understand what to expect from the experience. Residencies are a significant commitment for schools. They're long-term projects that can have hundreds of student participants – it's common for a residency to involve an entire grade level. Understanding the needs of the school and setting expectations is paramount.
Long time teaching artist Erin Maile O'Keefe who runs a Circus Yoga residency described Reuther as a "matchmaker." "She listens to the school; she listens to what they want. Where's the need? What's the age group? What's the culture of the school? And then she really matchmakes the school with one of us, her whole team of teaching artists. And as a result, the residencies are really successful."
Reuther's work isn't over once a residency is booked. Throughout the process, she checks in with teaching artists and schools to ensure everything is running smoothly. "She's the person behind the scenes that I talk to if I'm having an issue or if I need support on something," said teaching artist Kevin O'Keefe who facilitates a residency called Circus Minimus. "She's the greatest champion I've ever had, and I don't think I would've continued my career as long as I have without Barbara in my corner," he continued.
"We definitely would not be working in so many amazing schools in New Jersey without her. There are so many kids in New Jersey school systems, particularly in Morris County, that have been impacted by Barbara and they don't even know how impacted they've been," echoed Erin.
With 30 residencies and counting on the books for the 2025-2026 school year, it's another busy year for Reuther, Morris Arts, teaching artists, and students. So far, Arts in Education Residencies are scheduled in 17 different towns spanning Morris, Essex, Union, and Passaic counties with over 3,000 student participants. And these programs won't just impact participants – they'll impact entire school communities.
At the end of a residency, the whole school is invited to watch participants perform in a culminating event showcasing their work. These performances serve as an inspiration for the entire student body. Many schools do a residency each year in a certain grade level – these experiences have become a sort of rite-of-passage that students look forward to and remember fondly afterwards. And in the case of residencies focused on visual art projects like murals, the end result is a meaningful piece of artwork that makes the school vibrant and welcoming for years to come. Generations of students in northern New Jersey have learned teamwork, creativity, self-confidence, and more through Morris Arts' Arts in Education Residencies, thanks in large part to the visionary, advocate, and matchmaker behind the scenes, Barbara Reuther.
Founded in 1973, Morris Arts has been building community through the arts for over 50 years. The nonprofit works to provide meaningful artistic experiences for all Morris County residents regardless of age, means, or background. They facilitate high-quality arts education programs for students, community arts events, and arts in health programs that improve participants' well-being. Additionally, Morris Arts advocates for the arts and regrants state funds to local arts organizations, expanding access to arts experiences throughout Morris County.
