5 Bernards Township Organizations Awarded $82K In Arts, History Grants

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Five Bernards Township organizations were among 27 to be awarded a total of $283,450 in 2026 by Somerset County through the County History Partnership Program and Local Arts Program.

The funding was made possible by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, with the Local Arts Program funded through a partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the County History Partnership Program funded through a partnership with the New Jersey Historical Commission.

According to the county, the two programs provide grant funding to local art and history organizations for special projects, educational programming, and community events.

Eighteen local organizations were awarded funding through the Local Arts Program, while nine organizations received support through the County History Partnership Program.

Among the organizations were five in Bernards Township:

• Bernards Township Park & Recreation received $8,000 to support the 39th season of the Plays in the Park Program
• Friends of the Kennedy Martin Stelle Farmstead received $30,000 to provide general operating support for community arts programs, including concerts, art exhibitions, special events and art education offerings. They also received $1,923 to support a public lecture series highlighting New Jersey’s pivotal role in the American Revolution and beyond.
• Light Opera of New Jersey in Bernards received $20,000 to be used for artistic expenses tied to upcoming productions and cultural offerings.
• Sieminski Theater received $5,000 to assist with core operations and support programs, including concerts, original skits, and plays.
• Bernards Township received $17,500 to support a series of local history events focused on General Lee’s capture in 1776.

All grants were awarded by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission and the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners.

"Since 2022, our grant programs have funded over $1.3 million to support the organizations that keep history alive and our art scene thriving in Somerset County," said Commissioner Melonie Marano, liaison to the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission. "These grants keep the doors open at the County’s cultural and historic sites and help to pay for operating expenses, public events, and the development of new projects."

For the full list of re-grantees for 2026:

• LAP Re-grantees –somersetcountynj.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/65482/639122926831830000
• CHPP Re-grantees – somersetcountynj.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/65480/639122926828970000

The Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission is the official agency designated in the county to apply for, receive, and administer the Local Arts Program Grant and the County History Partnership Program. The grant applications are approved through an independent panel of peers who evaluate and provide recommendations for the allocation of funding.

For more information, call 908-231-7021 or email CulturalHeritage@somersetcountynj.gov.

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