The New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund has awarded $1.3 million in grants to 68 nonprofits across the state in an effort to help them recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic.
This is the second round of grants awarded by NJACRF, which is hosted by the Princeton Area Community Foundation. Earlier this year, the fund provided $2.6 million in grants to more than 100 other arts, culture and historical nonprofits statewide.
A complete list of all those awarded grants appears at the bottom of this story.
COVID-19 shuttered venues and forced furloughs and layoffs of more than half of the state’s creative workforce. The state’s nonprofit arts industry reported pandemic-related losses of more than $100 million as of December.
In response to the needs of the arts community, NJACRF was established last year with a gift from the Grunin Foundation, based in Toms River. A coalition of funders quickly followed with their support, to ensure the recovery of the industry.
Most recently, Merck became a leadership donor, and the 1772 Foundation and Turrell Fund became major donors to the fund, which has raised a total of over $4.5 million. (Click here to make a donation.)
Carmen Villar, vice president, social business innovation, at Merck, said the needs of the community across the state are great and fundraising continues.
“COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted the health and economic well-being of many communities in New Jersey,” she said. “We are proud to support the NJACRF’s work to ensure equitable recovery of the vibrant arts and cultural sectors for all communities in our state.”
The Fund is chaired by Jeremy Grunin, president of the Grunin Foundation, and Sharnita C. Johnson, program director – arts of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and members include Prudential Foundation, Stone Foundation of New Jersey, E.J. Grassmann Trust, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and the New Jersey Historical Commission. Other major donors include the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Amazon and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
The following nonprofits were awarded grants:
Atlantic County
- Eagle Theatre, Hammonton
- South Jersey Cultural Alliance, Hammonton
- MudGirls Studios, Linwood
Bergen County
- CavanKerry Press, Fort Lee
- Epitome of Soul, Ridgewood
- Adelphi Chamber Orchestra, River Edge
Burlington County
- West Jersey Music Academy, Moorestown
- Roebling Museum, Roebling section of Florence Township
Camden County
- Camden County Historical Society, Camden
- IDEA Center for the Arts, Camden
- The Nick Virgilio Haiku Association, Camden
- Symphony in C, Collingswood
Cape May County
- Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts, Cape May
Cumberland County
- Millville Development Corp., Millville
- Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, Millville
Essex County
- ArtsPower, Cedar Grove
- Montclair History Center, Montclair
- Talking Eyes Media, Montclair
- The Montclair Orchestra, Montclair
- Montclair Art Museum, Montclair
- Barat Foundation, Newark
- Newark Performing Arts Corp., Newark
- Newark Print Shop, Newark
- ValleyArts, Orange
- Lydia Johnson Dance, South Orange
- South Orange Performing Arts Center, South Orange
Gloucester County
- Gloucester County Historical Society, Woodbury
Hunterdon County
- ACME Screening Room, Lambertville
Hudson County
- Hoboken Historical Museum, Hoboken
- Ariel Rivka Dance, Jersey City
- Kennedy Dancers, Jersey City
- RiverviewJazz.Org, Jersey City
- Speranza Theatre Company, Jersey City
- Surati for Performing Arts, Jersey City
- Victory Hall, Jersey City
- The Grace Theatre Workshop, Union City
- Hudson Theatre Works, Weehawken
Mercer County
- Hopewell Valley Arts Council, Hopewell
- People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos, Lawrenceville
- Historical Society of Princeton, Princeton
- American Repertory Ballet/Princeton Ballet Society, Princeton
- Storytelling Arts, Princeton Junction section of West Windsor
- Preservation New Jersey, Trenton
Middlesex County
- George Street Playhouse, New Brunswick
- Lazos America Unida, New Brunswick
Monmouth County
- Asbury Park Arts Council, Asbury Park
- Holiday Express, Eatontown
- Allaire Village, Farmingdale
- Monmouth County Historical Association, Freehold
- Twin Lights Historical Society, Highlands
- Holmdel Theatre Company, Holmdel
- Monmouth Museum, Lincroft section of Middletown
- Ocean Grove Historic Preservation/Jersey Shore Arts Center, Ocean Grove section of Neptune
- Jazz Arts Project, Red Bank
- Phoenix Productions, Red Bank
Morris County
- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Florham Park
Ocean County
- Surflight Theatre, Beach Haven
- Brick Children’s Community Theatre, Brick
- Exit 82 Theatre Company, Toms River
Somerset County
- All Children’s Art Center of New Jersey, Bound Brook
Sussex County
- Save Ellis Island, Augusta section of Frankford Township
Union County
- Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts, Berkeley Heights
- DuCret School of Art, Plainfield
- People Helping People, Rahway
- Music for All Seasons, Scotch Plains
- New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble, Summit
- New Jersey Festival Orchestra, Westfield
Warren County
- Blairstown Live-Arts, Blairstown
