TRENTON — The New Jersey State Council on the Arts gave out almost $16 million today to more than 800 arts organizations and projects today — and restored fellowships to individual artists after cutting them the year before. The awards totaled about $1.2 million more than last year, because lawmakers in July provided the minimum funding called for in...
NJPAC in Newark.TRENTON — The New Jersey State Council on the Arts gave out almost $16 million today to more than 800 arts organizations and projects today — and restored fellowships to individual artists after cutting them the year before.
The awards totaled about $1.2 million more than last year, because lawmakers in July provided the minimum funding called for in the Hotel-Motel Occupancy Fee legislation that funds the state’s cultural agencies. That program was suspended last year after the council was hit with a 25 percent cut to its grants budget under former Gov. Jon Corzine.
"We are pleased that State funding for the council this year was restored to the minimum requirement set in the Hotel-Motel Occupancy Fee legslation," said council chairwoman Sharon Burton Turner. "This is good news in this economic climate."
The council awarded $13.5 million in 192 matching grants to New Jersey’s theaters, dance troupes, orchestras, museums and other arts organizations. It also distributed $2 million in 25 partnerships to support arts education, marketing, community development and access to the arts for disabled audiences.
But there were cuts — the biggest went to the Newark Museum, which did not receive a grant from the council. Last month, the state budget included a direct grant of almost $2.2 million to the museum. Last year, the museum’s direct grant was supplemented by a $293,603 award from the arts council. Not this time.
Most organizations received 3 to 7 percent more than last year, increases that were linked to the ranking their applications received from independent review panels. However, a few others received up to $20,000 more in order to bring their grants closer to 5 percent of their total budgets, a council priority.
"This step allows us to bring greater equity," said grants committee chairwoman Ofelia Garcia. "It addresses growth that some organizations have achieved in recent years, growth with which council funding has not been able to keep pace as our resources decreased."
When Garcia announced the return of the artists fellowship program, not funded last year, many of the 150 or so arts leaders in attendance at the State Museum auditorium applauded.
"Restoring the artists' fellowships is critical, really critical," said Linwood Oglesby, executive director of the Newark Arts Council. "If we aren’t about developing artists, what are we about?"
The individual fellowships are highly competitive, with hundreds of applications each year. The council alternates the awards between various disciplines. In 2009 it gave out 26 grants totaling $199,800 to playwrights, poets, writers and crafts artists. This year the council will disperse $185,000, and if it follows past form the grants will go to choreographers and visual artists, among others.
Eight organizations that did not receive funding last year were added to this year’s roster, and were eligible for a maximum grant of $25,000.
The Crossroads Theatre Company in New Brunswick received the maximum of $25,000 after being denied funding last year. "We cooperated with the council and put together a solid application," said Marshall Jones, managing director.
Grants to the 21 county agencies that work with the arts council to provide funds for smaller, regional organizations were increased by 8 percent. Anne Aronovitch, executive director of the Arts Council of the Morris Area, commended the state arts council for its effort to be fair to all organizations.
"The arts council is good at creatively trying to do what they can to support all the different segments of the field," Aronovitch said. "We really consider them a partner."
Although some increases were small, many leaders said any amount helps.
"It restores some of the funding that we have been missing," said Tom Werder, managing director of Two River Theater Company in Red Bank, which saw its grant grow to $125,065. "It will really make a difference."
The council also approved a supplemental ethics code to address issues unique to its work and it adopted a new site visit form that requires more detailed information from council members after they attend performances and exhibits by grantees. The new visit form was sought by Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno last month.
See the full list of grants here.
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• Lt. Gov. Guadagno takes control of N.J. arts council, orders ethics training after freebies request
• Members of the N.J. Council on the Arts seek increased freebies, records show