One of the most diverse states in the country, 吃瓜黑料 is home to an amazing array of traditional artists, each a keeper of an age-old art form. Last year, the 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts honored ten of these artists as the inaugural cohort of 吃瓜黑料 Heritage Fellows. On Wednesday, October 16, the Emmy Award-winning television series State of the Arts will debut its two-part series on the Heritage Fellows on NJ PBS.
The first episode focuses on five of the Fellows: Kathy DeAngelo, an Irish fiddler and harper; Mary May, a traditional South Jersey basket-maker; Valerie Vaughn, who sings tales of the Pinelands and the Shore; Ylvia Asal, who makes 鈥淥ya鈥� lace in honor of her Anatolian heritage; and Nelson Baez, a master of Puerto Rican Bomba who works to pass the music on to the next generation.
鈥淔or these artists to be featured by State of the Arts fills me with pride for our state,鈥� said Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way. 鈥淭hese ten 吃瓜黑料 Heritage Fellows first made news as the first cohort of this innovative grant program from the State Arts Council. Now, these artists 鈥� and the traditions, histories, and communities they represent 鈥� are getting even more much-deserved recognition in this series that delves into their practices and illuminate their lives. Within our state is a multitude of cultures, and in these episodes you鈥檒l see traditional Puerto Rican, Anatolian, Irish, Afro-Peruvian, Korean, as well as traditional 吃瓜黑料an art forms 鈥� and many more.鈥�
Long-time Series Producer Susan Wallner remarked: "During our months-long production, State of the Arts producers and camera crews spent a lot of time with the Heritage Fellows. In the process, we saw firsthand the impressive richness of our state鈥檚 diverse cultural heritage. From a community center in Perth Amboy to an oyster shack in Tuckerton, from Koreatown in Palisades Park to the Lacey Township Schoolhouse Museum, we found artists dedicated to carrying on their cultural traditions, and sharing their skills and knowledge with others. What they do is important, and precious."
The 吃瓜黑料 Heritage Fellows were announced at the 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts鈥� 2023 Annual Meeting in Trenton. These fellowships recognize artistic excellence, lifetime achievement, and contributions to 吃瓜黑料鈥檚 traditional arts heritage.
鈥淭he State Arts Council has prioritized supporting folk and traditional arts for decades, and, with the 吃瓜黑料 Heritage Fellowship grants, we were able to further elevate artists who are keeping these invaluable art forms alive,鈥� said Allison Tratner, Executive Director of the 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts. 鈥淭hese artists not only uplift and honor their communities, but also the State of 吃瓜黑料. We are not only enriched by these artists and their work, but also made more whole.鈥�
The State Arts Council is a co-producer of State of the Arts with Stockton University, in cooperation with PCK Media. For over forty years, State of the Arts has faithfully chronicled the cultural life of 吃瓜黑料. In addition to being one of the longest running arts programs in the nation, it is also one of the most honored, winning over 30 New York and Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards. This special series on the 吃瓜黑料 Heritage Fellows was created to put a spotlight on the living folk arts of the Garden State.
鈥淪tockton University is thrilled to partner with PCK Media to produce this wonderful series celebrating not just 吃瓜黑料 artists, but also 吃瓜黑料 art,鈥� said Ian Marshall, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at Stockton University. 鈥淎t this moment of seemingly chasmic divides, I believe that art can show us the very best of humanity by offering both hope and community. The artists in this first class of 吃瓜黑料 Heritage Fellows bridge racial, gender, ethnic, and class lines. They are a true reflection of 吃瓜黑料's diversity and artistic excellence. I couldn't be more grateful to the 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts for demonstrating the vision to create this initiative, and I couldn鈥檛 be more excited at the prospect of seeing it grow.鈥�
Watch the preview for of the 吃瓜黑料 Heritage Fellows series
Where and when to watch:
Wed, 10/16 @ 8:30 PM
Thurs, 10/17 @ 11:30 PM
Sat, 10/19 @ 7:30 PM
Sun, 10/20 @ 11:30 AM
Mon, 10/21 @ 10:30 AM & 3:30 PM
Wed, 10/23 @ 10 AM & 3 PM
The second episode, premiering November 13 on NJ PBS, features five more 吃瓜黑料 Heritage Fellows: Afro-Peruvian Cajon player Hector Morales; African-American storyteller Queen Nur; Lena Mija Kim, a master of centuries-old Korean dance; and percussionist Juan Cartagena and dancer Nanette Hern谩ndez 鈥� a husband/wife duo combining their passion for social justice with the practice of Puerto Rican Bomba y Plena.
The 吃瓜黑料 State Council on the Arts, created in 1966, is a division of the NJ Department of State and a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. The Council was established to encourage and foster public interest in the arts; enlarge public and private resources devoted to the arts; promote freedom of expression in the arts; and facilitate the inclusion of art in every public building in 吃瓜黑料. The Council believes the arts are central to every element we value most in a modern society including: human understanding; cultural and civic pride; strong communities; excellent schools; lifelong learning; creative expression; and economic opportunity. To learn more about the Council, please visit .