The Matheny Medical and Educational Center's Arts Access Program will receive a 2013 Excellence in the Arts Award from the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission for "Arts in the Community -- Dedication to Arts Access and Outreach". Matheny is a special hospital and educational facility in Peapack for children and adults with medically complex developmental disabilities. Arts Access gives people with disabilities the freedom to create in the visual, literary and performing arts.
Arts Access was nominated for this award by Art Pride New Jersey, a coalition of arts organizations and individuals that advocates at local, state and national levels for funding, support and recognition of the arts as vital to New Jersey's quality of life. In its nomination, Art Pride pointed out that Matheny is a world-wide facility that works to heal the body and nurture the spirit with the arts. "Matheny's Arts Access Program," Art Pride stated, "deserves special recognition" because "this year is the 20th anniversary of the program. The National Endowment for the Arts has recognized the value of this program with a grant to celebrate the 20 years of excellence, and Arts Access has also received a 'Citation of Excellence' from the New Jersey State Council of the Arts."
The SCCHC award will be presented at a special ceremony on Thursday, October 24, at Twin Brooks Country Club in Watchung. Master of ceremonies for the event will be Nicholas Paleologos, executive director of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Arts Access' 20th anniversary will be celebrated at Full Circle 2013 Reflections to be held from 3-6 p.m., Saturday, November 2, in the Robert Schonhorn Arts Center on the Matheny campus. U.S. Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ 07), co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, will serve as honorary chair.
