Gloucester Township Arts Centers Receive State Grants

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Two arts centers based in the Blackwood section of Gloucester Township will receive grants from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the council announced on Tuesday.

The Camden County Cultural and Heritage Commission will receive $53,759 for its local arts program. The Mainstage Center for the Arts will receive $27,777 for general operations.

The grants are part of more than $15.7 million in grant funding to support 700 arts organizations, projects, and artists throughout the state.

“The New Jersey State Council on the Arts continues to build on its unwavering commitment to award grants to the arts community and support the partnerships we have seen here today,” Secretary of State Tahesha Way said. “The arts challenge us to be creative and learn new skills, all of which help keep the mind astute and boost confidence. We congratulate and remain extremely grateful to today's award winners for their contribution and dedication to preserving a vital resource in their communities that directly improves the quality of life for everyone.”

“Every year my colleagues and I marvel at what we discover about New Jersey's arts industry, and I am very proud of the work we do. In every corner of our state, you can find a thriving and tenacious creative community,” Council Chair Elizabeth Mattson said.

The Council receives funding from the State of New Jersey through the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee legislation passed in 2003. That legislation established a dedicated revenue source to support arts, history, and tourism.

The Arts Council also receives annual competitive grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Funding decisions are made through a transparent, merit-based, and rigorous grants process that assures access and equity. Independent peer panels evaluate grant applications to eliminate the possibility for conflict of interest.

Last year, grantees spent $275 million in New Jersey; employed an estimated 25,000 workers; and attracted nearly 7.5 million patrons who spent an additional $232 million in the state, according to the council. All told, New Jersey artists and arts organizations produced a dollar of local economic activity for every three cents they received from the State Arts Council.

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