A Jersey City mural | Photo via Office of Cultural Affairs
JERSEY CITY, NJ—Jersey City’s arts community is growing. In order to support and nurture local artistic talent, the Fulop Administration, through the Office of Cultural Affairs, has awarded nearly 300 Arts and Culture Trust Fund grants totaling $3 million in under two years.
In its third round of grants, more than $1 million in much-needed funding has been distributed to 78 local artists and arts organizations through the Arts and Culture Trust Fund. The Jersey City Arts Council has selected and funded twenty individual artist fellowships. The grants are categorized as (a) program with 44 recipients, (b) 13 organizations for arts education, and (c) 21 grantees for general operating.
“The fact that we have allocated over $3 million in less than two years speaks to the fact that the Arts and Culture Trust Fund we implemented in 2020 is working as intended, providing critical funding to support our talented artists and organizations who contribute so much to the vitality and diversity of our city,” said Mayor Steve M. Fulop. “By investing in our vibrant arts community, we are significantly boosting the local economy and community engagement within Jersey City.”
According to a media release, arts and culture organizations accounted for $13.5 million in spending in 2022, with an additional $32.4 million in event-related expenditures by their audiences, according to the most recent nationwide study by Americans for the Arts. The study also states that arts and culture economic activity in Jersey City supported 532 jobs, provided residents with $28.2 million in personal income, and generated $7.1 million in tax revenue for local, state, and federal governments.
The Arts and Culture Trust Fund, established by the City of Jersey City in 2020, aims to provide financial support to artists and cultural organizations to create, produce, and present artistic projects. These grants represent a significant investment in Jersey City’s creative talents and underscore the city’s commitment to fostering a thriving arts scene for residents and visitors alike.
In its third cycle, Program Grant Awards went to three top recipients of 44 requests:
- Half-Light Productions at $17,500
- Farm in the Heights at $14,375
- Bridge Art Gallery $14,250
For Arts Education Grant Awards, out of 13 requests, JC Print Room received the most funding, $17,000, followed by five organizations receiving $13,125 each.
- Area of Refuge
- Brighter Bee Academy
- City Kidz Playhouse
- Give Chances
- NJCU Art Department
For Operating Grant Awards, out of 21 requests, 10 received $25,000 each, and nine requests were granted $18,750 each.
- $25,000
- Art Fair 14C
- Art House Productions
- Deep Space Gallery
- Kennedy Dancers
- Nimbus Dance Works
- Riverview Jazz
- Smush Gallery
- Speranza Theatre Company
- Surati for Performing Arts
- Victory Hall/Drawing Rooms
- $18,750
- Ariel Rivka Dance
- Education Arts Team
- Jersey City Film Group
- Jersey City Theater Center
- Jersey City Writers
- MeenMoves
- NonLinear Knitting Studio
- Styles House Youth Community Center
- The Curtain
- Individual Artist Fellowship Grant Awards (Jersey City Arts Council)
- 20 recipients
“These grants provide a lifeline for so many of our local artists where little existed before,” added Christine Goodman, Director of Jersey City’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “These funds will continue to support arts and culture programs with classes and events across all wards of Jersey City for everyone to enjoy.”
Among the talented individuals and organizations selected for funding are musicians, dancers, filmmakers, and community arts initiatives. As the Arts and Culture Trust Fund Committee decided, each grant recipient demonstrated exceptional skill, innovation, and a commitment to enriching Jersey City’s cultural landscape.
As Director of JC Print Room, Bruno Nadalin credits the Arts and Culture Trust Fund grant for providing the means to broaden education initiatives and make printmaking accessible to Jersey City residents. “Through the grant, we expanded our educational programming by offering free and low-cost workshops and purchased needed equipment and supplies.
Adds Nadalin: “Grant funds enabled us to hold our Direct Public Benefit of a free printmaking event in Hamilton Park, where residents were invited to make their own prints and tote bags. We held similar free events in Greenville and free workshops at our studio, all thanks to the grant funds. The grant was indispensable to the fulfillment of our organization’s mission.”
