One vitally important way that the Council achieves its goals of service to the needs of the entire state is through a battery of cosponsored programs and initiatives. By partnering with other organizations that share the same goals, the Council is able to widen the resources applied to the issue and build a statewide infrastructure of support. These grant funds leverage others and make for more efficient and cost effective use of public funds.
Promoting the Arts & Increasing Participation Statewide
FFDP offers broad access to cultural experiences for residents on state assistance programs and helps cultural organizations engage and build new audiences.
The 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts and the 吃瓜黑料 Historical Commission have partnered with the NJ Departments of Human Services (DHS) and Health (DOH) to launch 吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Families First Discovery Pass (FFDP) program. This program provides families and individuals enrolled in state assistance programs with free or highly discounted admission to arts and history organizations, venues and programs. The Families First Discovery Pass Program offers broad access to cultural experiences for 吃瓜黑料 residents and helps cultural organizations engage new audiences with the goal of building long-lasting relationships. Residents who receive benefits through SNAP, WFNJ, Child Care Subsidy and/or WIC are eligible for free or steeply discounted cultural programs throughout the State.
Learn more about the program and participating organizations.
CAN is a multifaceted resource to support cultural organizations in making their programs and facilities accessible to seniors and individuals with disabilities
The Cultural Access Network Project is a program of the 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts and 吃瓜黑料 Theatre Alliance. The Project provides a wide range of services and programs to assist theatres and cultural organizations in making their programs and facilities accessible to seniors and people with disabilities.
The programs of the Cultural Access Network Project are guided by a volunteer steering committee representing arts patrons, state and county officials, arts administrators, and managers from organizations serving people with disabilities.
The Cultural Access Network Project was established in 1992 to assist all of 吃瓜黑料鈥檚 cultural arts organizations in making their programs and facilities accessible to seniors and individuals with disabilities in order to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Cultural Access Network Project committee is comprised of individuals with specific knowledge and expertise in areas relating to accessible programming and facilities. All of the Cultural Access Network鈥檚 programs and services are made possible by the 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts, as well as other corporate, foundation, and government partners.
The Cultural Access Network Project serves as a role model program for other states to follow. The program was the recipient of the 2004 National Accessibility Leadership Award from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, National Endowment for the Arts and Coca-Cola.
.
State of the Arts is an Emmy Award-winning weekly television program that goes on location with the most creative people in 吃瓜黑料.
State of the Arts has been taking you on location with the most creative people in 吃瓜黑料 and beyond since 1981. The New York and Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award-winning series features documentary shorts about an extraordinary range of artists 鈥� musicians, dancers, playwrights, poets, painters, photographers, and more. State of the Arts visits 吃瓜黑料鈥檚 best performance spaces 鈥� from little-known jazz clubs to outdoor festivals to the state鈥檚 exceptional professional theaters. Through our video features, newsletters, and social media, State of the Arts is on the frontlines of the creative and cultural worlds of 吃瓜黑料, one of the nation鈥檚 most diverse and populous states.
State of the Arts is a cornerstone program of NJ PBS, with episodes co-produced by the 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts and Stockton University, in cooperation with PCK Media. The series also airs on WNET and ALL ARTS.
To browse videos or make story suggestions visit .
The Public Art Archive provides open access to works of public art across 吃瓜黑料.
Since the passage of the Public Building Arts Inclusion Act in 1978, 吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Public Arts Inclusion Program has led to the commissioning and installation of hundreds of artworks in state financed construction projects. The 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts assists State agencies and universities in the selection of artists for projects including those for NJ TRANSIT鈥檚 Transit Arts Program, and major projects like new buildings, renovations, monuments, and memorials.
In addition to featuring the many works created through the Public Building Arts Inclusion Act, the State Arts Council seeks to highlight all forms of public art in 吃瓜黑料. By undertaking an online archive of public art from across the state, the State Arts Council aims to make 吃瓜黑料鈥檚 vast collection of art in public spaces easy to find, connect with, and enjoy. The 吃瓜黑料 Public Art Archive provides open access to works of public art for anyone visiting, studying, or simply passing by, and helps every 吃瓜黑料 resident locate the art in their own communities. The online archive will continue to grow, as will 吃瓜黑料鈥檚 collection of inspiring, informative, and reflective works of art.
DJA is a multifaceted program that connects audiences with 吃瓜黑料鈥檚 dynamic arts community.
Discover Jersey Arts (DJA) is an award-winning program presented by ArtPride 吃瓜黑料 and co-founded by the State Arts Council. DJA connects audiences with 吃瓜黑料鈥檚 dynamic arts community through engaging articles, podcasts, and videos that go behind the scenes and interviews the personalities who bring the arts to life.
DJA鈥檚 also offers a searchable directory that quickly connects audiences to arts organizations based on location and category. Individuals can create a free account to customize their experience and access eSavers ticket deals.
If you work for an arts organization, check out the page to learn how to connect with ArtPride and get featured on JerseyArts.com.
Strengthening 吃瓜黑料's Cultural Industry
The 吃瓜黑料 Arts and Culture Administrators of Color is a network of professional arts administrators of color dedicated to advancing efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion within 吃瓜黑料鈥檚 arts community. This initiative is a partnership between 吃瓜黑料 Theatre Alliance, ArtPride 吃瓜黑料, and 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts.
The aim of the Network is to provide self-identified people of color working in the state鈥檚 arts organizations a safe space to connect, and a platform to share their expertise, experiences, and creativity. The Network鈥檚 objective is to connet, empower, and cultivate professional arts and cultural leaders throughout the Garden State. The program aims to build a community that affords members the opportunity to develop personal and professional connections, share resources, and foster emerging leaders.
Cosponsored with the , this program is aimed at gaining a comprehensive understanding of the financial health and trends of the nonprofit arts industry and assisting organizations in achieving greater financial health. NFF provides Audit Review & Financial Summaries (ARFS) based on a thorough assessment of grantee financial health, and provides workshops, webinars, and small group financial leadership clinics for grantees to build foundational knowledge around financial management tools.
The CNJG Culture Funders Affinity Group includes private and public grantmakers working in the arts and humanities across NJ. It aims to maximize the leadership potential and grantmaking abilities of those interested in developing a strong and thriving arts community in 吃瓜黑料. The Council鈥檚 Director of Grants & Strategies is the Co-Chair of the Affinity Group.
Programs for Artists
Since the passage of the Public Building Arts Inclusion Act in 1978, this program has led to the commissioning and installation of hundreds of artworks in state financed construction projects of State Buildings. Up to 1.5% of the construction budget is set aside for this purpose. The Council assists State agencies and State Universities in the selection of artists for all projects including those for NJ Transit鈥檚 Transit Arts Program and such major projects as the WW II Memorial and the NJ September 11 Memorial design competition. Announcements of 吃瓜黑料 Arts Inclusion Projects are publicized through CaFE and listed under the 鈥淧ublic Art鈥� category when available. With questions about this program please contact Danielle Bursk.
The Council uses CaFE to give visual artists access to State Arts Inclusion commission opportunities. The provides monthly listings of arts inclusion projects not only for 吃瓜黑料 but for other states as well. Artists can upload 100 images of their work, resume, bio and more to be used in applying for commissions announced through . With questions about this program, please contact Danielle Bursk.
The Council hosts this annual, multipart series of professional learning for artists. The Business of Being an Artist series is free and open to any artist, teaching artist, or folk artist who lives and/or works in 吃瓜黑料. Sessions are led by local and national experts, covering topics such as writing artist statements, crowdfunding, health insurance options, and more. For information about the 2025-2026 series - beginning Fall 2025 - be sure to sign-up for the Council's Artist Services and Opportunities for the Field newsletters. With questions about this program, please contact Samantha Clarke, Stephanie Nerbak, or Sally Van de Water.
Arts Education
Through the Council's many cosponsored projects in arts education, several important objectives are achieved: the annual placement of scores of professional artists in classrooms everywhere, the professional training of artists and educators to work effectively together, support for arts education advocacy and literacy in the arts, statewide focus on key issues, the creation of model, arts-infused schools and more.
The 吃瓜黑料 Visual and Performing Arts Survey is a statewide school-by-school mandatory survey for the visual and performing arts as part of the 吃瓜黑料 Arts Education Census Project (NJAECP), a partnership of the Arts Council, the NJ Department of Education, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Arts Ed NJ, ArtPride NJ Foundation and Quadrant Research.
The survey will quantify student enrollment in arts education programs for each school, establish spending patterns over time for arts education, providing a basis for analyses of growth and decline of enrollment relative to other school programs. In addition, economic, demographic, census, school report card and growth forecasts will be linked together to provide context regarding additional factors that impact access to arts education in a community. The final results can be found at .
Poetry Out Loud, a sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, encourages high school students across the country to learn about great works of classic and contemporary poetry through memorization and recitation. Not only do they share their interpretation and delivery of poetry, but they also vie for awards and scholarships totaling $50,000.
In 吃瓜黑料, Poetry Out Loud is a project of the 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts and Count Basie Center for the Arts in collaboration with a growing network of regional partners to implement the program statewide.
All 吃瓜黑料 public, charter, private, and parochial high schools and 吃瓜黑料 home school associations are invited to participate. Poetry Out Loud can be facilitated in school classrooms, after-school programs, through community organizations, and libraries by a teacher, teaching artist, or program facilitator. In 吃瓜黑料, middle schools are invited to implement the 吃瓜黑料 Poetry Out Loud (NJPOL) curriculum; however, they are not eligible to participate in the contests. Learn more at .
Folk & Traditional Arts
Folk and traditional arts development in 吃瓜黑料 has been guided by a Folk Arts Infrastructure Plan created with input from folk cultural specialists, folk artists and practitioners, and diverse communities throughout the state. Core to implementation of that plan is the development of a network of regional folklife centers in the state that conduct fieldwork research in their regions and produce and present programs to preserve and highlight the great diversity of folk arts traditions practiced in 吃瓜黑料.
The Council is proud to support and work closely with our State鈥檚 five regional Folklife Centers:
A multi-day professional development convening for individuals working in the folk and traditional arts in 吃瓜黑料 and New York. Training and discussion topics include programming formats, arts education, folk art and community health, place-based folklife, archiving and fieldwork, and access and inclusion. The event is sponsored, in part, by the 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts as well as the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
