Friend,

Art and culture are integral to thriving communities. In its many forms, the arts are a way for individuals and communities to express themselves and engage each other. In New Jersey we have witnessed the power of the arts to revitalize economies, bolster community pride and engage youth in education and their environment.

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts seeks to improve the quality of life for the citizens of this state by fueling a robust nonprofit arts industry everywhere in our state. When the scores of New Jersey cultural organizations are strong financially, operationally and artistically, they are able to have their greatest impact on the issues of importance to us all. Research tells us that arts and cultural organizations help:

• stimulate economic development and improve derelict buildings
• bridge cultural, ethnic and racial boundaries
• bolster community pride and identity
• support community involvement and participation
• preserve cultural heritage and history.                                                            

 Ford Foundation

The arts are a proven catalyst for change and the results are astonishing when we look at the revitalization of communities like Millville, New Brunswick, Red Bank and so many others. As the most densely and diversely populated state in the nation, we are obligated to recognize and celebrate the many cultures that call New Jersey home and to provide access to the arts for everyone.

In this issue of e-News I would like to share with you just a few of the many ways the Council supports thriving, healthy communities through the arts.

Warmly,

Carol Ann Herbert
Chair, NJ State Council on the Arts

The Arts Boost Local Economies

Compelling evidence from the Arts and Economic Prosperity Study reveals that spending by audiences to arts and cultural events pumps vital revenue into local restaurants, hotels, retail stores, parking garages and other businesses. The Arts Council is the single largest funder of the arts in New Jersey and supports over 800 cultural organizations, which this year alone will produce over 30,000 public events and draw audiences in excess of 18,000,000 people, who will spend over $300 million in local economies.

Thanks in large part to the New Brunswick Cultural Center, the City of New Brunswick is experiencing a major revitalization.  The Cultural Center includes the 1,800 seat acoustically acclaimed State Theatre, which provides year-round performing arts programming. It is home to the American Repertory Ballet and hosts symphonies performed by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, among others. Theatergoers in New Brunswick can also see both timeless classics and new work at the world-class George Street Playhouse and the culturally dynamic Crossroads Theatre. The Council funds them all and when the New Brunswick theatres are in operation, local restaurants serve 25% more meals and frequently exceed capacity.

In Red Bank, the nonprofit arts are a $13.3 million industry that helped to reverse the outflight trend and also put the city on the map as a popular tourist destination. With Council support, the Count Basie Theatre and Two River Theater are key players in the city's renewal and continue to work with local organizations like the Red Bank River Center, recently acknowledged as a national model for downtown revitalization.

"The arts have played an integral role in our Vision Plan and have not only attracted visitors but residents as well (our population has grown 15-20 percent in the last 10 years). The flourishing arts community is also responsible for growth in new business as well as the increased value of our real estate. The arts have proven to be a very successful investment for Red Bank."  Edward J. McKenna Jr., former Mayor of Red Bank

The Arts Foster Strong Community Bonds

Community cultural organizations are effective at serving historically excluded people in their communities. But, they also draw people to the community and contribute to a positive image of their neighborhood. Social Impact of the Arts Project

New Jersey may be the most diverse state in the nation, home to scores of different cultures and celebrating their traditional arts is an important way to sustain their identity, strengthen intercultural understanding and build pride. The Arts Council has helped to establish and fund three statewide and six regional folklike centers. Among them is the Northwest Jersey Folklife Project in Oxford that is doing its part to keep long lasting traditions alive among its growing Central American population. Xochiquetzal, a group that specializes in traditional Aztec and Mexican dance, performs regularly with the support of The Folklife Project. Martha Monroy, the group's artistic director, told the New York Times in a recent article just how important their performances can be, "People have started knowing more about our culture. They value our roots."

Another Council funded program is the Down Jersey Folklife Center, at the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center in Millville. The programs and services featured at the Folklife Center reflect the diversity of South Jersey which now includes more than 45 ethnic and religious groups. The Down Jersey Folklife Center offers ongoing exhibits, music, dance, craft demonstrations, workshops and other events that highlight traditional artists and area folklife.

The Arts Prepare Youth for Success

"Creativity allows people to explore their values, meanings and dreams and raises expectations about what is possible." Voluntary Arts Network, 2005

Research tells us that young people who study the arts actually have a higher graduation rate, are more likely to go to college and are more inclined to vote and be active citizens. It is also proven that the arts impart the skills most vital to success in the 21st century workplace where creativity, innovation and the ability to communicate make all the difference. 

The Artists in Education Consortium (AIE), a collaboration with the Council, Arts Horizons, Young Audiences NJ, and the Institute for Arts and Humanities Education is a multi-faceted program that places professional artists in long-term residencies in our schools where they make an invaluable and unique contribution to the educational process. Teachers agree.

Teacher Melanie Secor of Clinton Elementary School in Maplewood, NJ, worked with an AIE artist and used dance to teach the concepts of immigration to her 4th grade class. "This taught all of us how to look at the immigration experience in many different ways. We often talk about touching on all the Multiple Intelligences - through this grant we certainly did!"

The New Jersey Writer's Project, a cosponsored project by the Council and the Playwright's Theater of New Jersey,  places writers in school residencies and serves more than 15,000 thousand students annually. The residencies engage students in the acts of writing, thinking and communicating creatively. Students work through the challenges of articulation, public speaking and being part of a team.

The nonprofit arts industry:

• Supports 17,000 arts related businesses and employs or supports the employment of over 90,0000 New Jerseyans
• Is the single greatest factor that has tripled property values and tax revenues in downtown Millville and attracted four new restaurants in 2005 alone
• Is one of the top reasons corporations and major businesses cite for where they decide to locate, stay and expand
• Is the aspect of tourism (New Jersey's second largest industry) that will attract visitors who spend nearly twice the time and money as the average visitor and come back more often
• Is one of the best indicators for student success and an indicator of the most successful schools