Union County Awards $300,500 In Local Arts Grants To 44 Organizations For 2026

UNION COUNTY, NJ — Union County will provide $300,500 in 2026 Local Arts Grant Program funding to 44 organizations across the county, according to the Union County Board of County Commissioners.

The re-grants represent part of a $434,400 Local Arts Program grant awarded to the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

The county said the annual program supports a range of arts initiatives in Union County.

The funding is intended to expand access to cultural programming and strengthen the local arts community. The Local Arts Program is made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, which the announcement describes as a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

"The arts are an essential part of what makes our communities vibrant and connected," said Commissioner Chairman Joseph C. Bodek. "These grants are an investment in the organizations that bring people together, inspire creativity, and enhance quality of life across Union County. We are proud to support their continued work and the meaningful experiences they provide to our residents."

Local Arts Program funds for 2026 were awarded to the following organizations:

• ACP Arts Ink, $7,600 – General Operating Support

• Afternoon Music, Inc., $6,900 – General Operating Support

• Catalyst Theater Company Productions, Inc., $10,100 – General Operating Support

• CDC Theatre, $13,500 – General Operating Support

• Chinese American Music Ensemble, $5,800 – General Operating Support

• Choral Art Society of New Jersey Inc., $11,400 – General Operating Support

• City of Linden, $3,600 – Linden’s Art & Entertainment Festival

• City of Rahway Dept. of Recreation & Senior Services, $3,500 – Visual Art Classes for Children, Teens & Adults

• Community Access Unlimited, $4,600 – Individuals with Disabilities Connect with Community through Art Appreciation & Creative Expression

• Concord Singers, $8,300 – General Operating Support

• Continuo Arts Foundation, $11,300 – General Operating Support

• Cranford Public Library, $3,700 – Perfecting the Play; and Community Darkroom

• Doors of Hope Community, Inc., $1,000 – T.U.L.I.P.S. Classes (Teens Under Life’s Intense Pressure Support)

• duCret School of the Arts, $13,400 – General Operating Support

• Elizabeth Development Company of New Jersey, $3,400 – Public Art Murals Transform Public Spaces in Elizabeth

• Elizabeth Youth Theater Ensemble, $12,100 – General Operating Support

• Friends of Summit Public Art, $8,400 – General Operating Support

• Grand Artistry Inspires, $8,600 – General Operating Support

• Imperial Brass, $6,100 – General Operating Support

• Kenilworth Public Library, $3,600 – Beats, Rhythms & Roots: Celebrating Global Cultures Through the Arts

• Linden Free Public Library, $2,500 – Multi-disciplinary Programs for Children & Families at Linden Library

• Mostly Music, Inc., $7,800 – General Operating Support

• New Jersey Workshop for the Arts, Inc., $12,100 – General Operating Support

• Overlook Foundation, $3,600 – “The Poet is In” at Overlook Medical Center

• Plainfield Senior Citizens Service Center, $3,700 – Multi-Disciplinary Art Classes for Plainfield Seniors

• Plainfield Symphony Society, $13,300 – General Operating Support

• Queen City Film & Television Workshop, $3,700 – Queen City Film Festival 2026

• Rahway Valley Jerseyaires, $2,000 – General Operating Support

• Roselle Park Veterans Memorial Library, $2,000 – Concert Series with Diverse Musical Genres

• Society of Musical Arts, $3,600 – General Operating Support

• Steeple Concerts at St. Paul’s, $3,700 – Masterworks at St. Paul’s, Season Finale of concert series

• Summit Chorale, Inc., $11,200 – General Operating Support

• Summit Free Public Library, $3,700 – Music & Theater Performances at the Library

• Summit Symphony, Inc., $10,000 – General Operating Support

• The August Symphony, $4,000 – General Operating Support

• The Celebration Singers, $11,700 – General Operating Support

• The Community Players, $12,800 – General Operating Support

• The King’s Daughters Day School, $4,200 – Music, Movement and Dance Program for Children

• The Playhouse Association, Inc., $12,300 – General Operating Support

• The Theater Project, $12,500 – General Operating Support

• Township of Cranford, $3,200 – Downtown Cranford Senior Citizen Film Series

• Trinitas Foundation, $3,700 – Art for At-Risk Teens with Public Pop-Up Art Show

• Westfield Community Band Inc., $3,500 – General Operating Support

• YWCA of Eastern Union County, $2,800 – YWCA Union County Shelter’s Art Program

"Through these grants, we are able to support an incredible range of arts programming that reflects the diversity, creativity, and talent found throughout Union County," added Commissioner Rebecca L. Williams, Liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. "From performances and exhibitions to educational opportunities for residents of all ages, these organizations play a vital role in enriching our communities and making the arts accessible to all."

Organizations seeking information about Union County grants that support arts, history or education programming can contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at culturalinfo@ucjnj.org or 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users may dial 711.