Thanks to two grants from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA), totaling more than $176,000, the Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts will continue to serve as a hub of award-winning performances, exhibitions, education programs, and community projects, in the South Jersey region.
“Rutgers–Camden Center for the Arts is thrilled to receive continued funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, as this funding will allow us to serve 30,000 participants with our high-quality programs and events benefiting Camden and the region’s schools, and to continue our work in the Camden community through our Camden Art Gardens program,” says Noreen Scott Garrity, associate director and curator of education for the Rutgers–Camden Center for the Arts.
The first grant, a $163,500 award for general program support (GPS), will assist the RCCA in its mission of offering programs and events that inspire a full appreciation and enjoyment of the arts, create meaningful opportunities to participate in the arts, advance the central role of the arts in pre K-12 education, and increase awareness of the arts as essential to cultural, economic, and community vitality.
The RCCA received a Citation of Excellence for its GPS grant application. The citation is bestowed to New Jersey arts organizations, programs, and projects that receive the highest possible assessment of their grant applications, as judged by an esteemed independent panel of peers.
“There is an artistic quality evident in an extensive and ongoing calendar of programs,” writes one panelist. “The organization understands its audience and the region it serves. It is noteworthy that the artistic work presented explores current issues and is tied to regional interests.”
The second grant, a $12,750 award for Arts Education Special Initiative (AESI), will continue funding for professional development workshops in the arts for Camden’s teachers and artist residencies at three North Camden schools: Cooper’s Poynt Family School, Rafael Cordero Molina Elementary School, and Pyne Poynt Middle School. The grant acknowledges a commitment of funding through 2015.
According to Garrity, there were only six awards in this grant category for the entire state of New Jersey.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts awarded more than $15.6 million in grant funding to nearly 800 arts organizations, projects and artists throughout the state. The awards were announced on July 23 at the council’s 47th annual meeting.
The council receives funding from the state of New Jersey through the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee legislation passed in 2003, which established a dedicated revenue source to support arts, history and tourism. Additionally the Arts Council receives annual competitive grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The $15.6 million in grants awarded today include approximately $400,000 from the NEA. Funding decisions are made through a 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.
For additional information about RCCA programs and events, please contact Noreen Scott Garrity at (856) 225-6306.