HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ – The Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission, through funding from the Board of Chosen Freeholders approved at last month board’s meeting, awarded four local arts and history organizations Special Project grants totaling $22,500 for their work in 2020. These Special Project grants help nonprofit organizations and individuals provide arts and history programming to local residents.
The 2020 Special Project award recipients include Raritan River Music, Hunterdon Art Museum, Roxey Ballet, and Carla Cielo. Collectively, these grantees provide: high quality live and virtual performances; outreach to school students, healthcare facilities, and special learning groups; and historic research and documentation.
Freeholder John E. Lanza, Culture and Heritage Commission liaison, said, “The Freeholder Board understands how important arts and art history programs are for the county and applauds the commitment our Cultural & Heritage Commission has dedicated to finding grants which make these opportunities available for our community. These programs uplift and edify the public, and especially as we recover from COVID, are an integral part of restoring community normalcy.”
On behalf of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the Commission also administers Local Arts Program (LAP) re-grants to local organizations for general operating and arts project support. In addition to its re-grants, the Commission uses a portion of its LAP funding to support free arts programs for elementary school students through Art Goes to School, a nationwide program, as well as free community music festivals such as the Central Jersey Jazz Festival, virtual in 2020, and Hunterdon County Parks’ Music Under the Stars.
The Commission also receives funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission for County History Partnership Program (CHPP) re-grant awards. The grants help strengthen nonprofit history organizations and programs and increase the accessibility of historical resources and education to diverse communities.
The Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission promotes and supports arts, culture and history by nurturing a sense of place, a culture of creativity, and an enthusiasm to preserve and maintain its history. Despite the nationwide setbacks faced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the community strives to continue offering programs for the public.
