MORRISTOWN, N.J. (Morris County) — Officials and community leaders gathered Wednesday morning to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Ilene and Bruce Jacobs Arts & Education Center at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown.
Morris County Commissioner Director Stephen H. Shaw joined MPAC leadership and staff, state and local officials, and residents for the ceremony marking the start of the $65 million expansion and restoration project.
According to MPAC, the project will expand arts education opportunities, enhance performance capabilities and preserve the theater’s historic 1937 venue.
Plans include construction of a new 31,000-square-foot Arts and Education Center that will more than double student capacity, allowing MPAC’s Performing Arts School to serve more than 2,000 students annually. Completion is expected within 18 to 24 months.
The project is supported by several funding sources, including a $7.5 million lead commitment from Bruce and Ilene Jacobs, more than $1.1 million in state funding secured with the support of Sen. Anthony M. Bucco, and $65 million in tax credits through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s Cultural and Arts Facilities Expansion program.
During the ceremony, Shaw highlighted Morris County’s continued support of MPAC, including a $600,000 American Rescue Plan investment in 2021 that helped revive education and outreach programs following the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also noted the county has provided more than $420,000 in Historic Preservation Trust Fund support since 2013 for restoration work at the theater.
“We believe something deeply: the arts are not a luxury. They are a lifeline. They are as essential to a thriving community as any piece of infrastructure,” Shaw said. “We are fortunate in Morris County to have a long, proud tradition of supporting the arts — and today, we carry that legacy forward.”
