Presenting the Arts to New Audiences

Just in case you didn't see it, there was a terrific article in the New Jersey section of this weekend's New York Times on building new audiences for arts and culture. Much of the focus was on programs delivered by the Westchester Arts Council (since the New Jersey section is now NJ and "the region"), but there was attention paid to New Jersey and the Building Arts Participation program and the Folk Arts apprenticeship program of the NJ State Council on the Arts. The article was lengthy but well done.

Here's a link to it--well worth checking out!
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/07/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/07Rcover.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Now That's What I Call Cultural Tourism!

Peter Murphy, one of New Jersey's best writer/teachers (and an ArtPride NJ member!) is hosting the 14th Annual Winter Getaway in Cape May in January (12-15), 2007. Here's the incredibly rare opportunity to work with the best writers in the country, take some other arts workshops (painting, songwriting and photography), and just GETAWAY from it all while you hear the surf pound the shore! Just what the doctor ordered after the hectic holiday season!

Check it all out at www.wintergetaway.com and you'll find the full schedule, bios on the faculty, and descriptions of the various workshops offered in poetry and prose.

This is Cultural Tourism at its best! The package can't be beat at The Grand Hotel--you even get to start the day with yoga and end it with dancing and music at one of Cape May's local eateries. Go for it!

American Boychoir & Paul McCartney--How Cool is That?

The American Boychoir will be featured in a concert performance at Carnegie Hall on Tuesday, November 14 of Ecce Cor Meum, a full length classical work composed by Paul McCartney.

Ecce Cor Meum, or Behold My Heart, was released on September 25. McCartney was asked by the President of Magdalen College Oxford to compose something to set the seal on a new concert hall for the college. His hope was for "a choral piece which could be sung by children like Handel's Messiah." It is McCartney's fourth classical album since his first release in 1991.

The concert is being broadcast by WNYC-FM and will be streamed on their website. For more details on Ecce Cor Meum, visit its web site www.eccecormeum.com and congratulations to the American Boychoir!!

Discover Jersey Arts for the Holidays!

Don't miss the Discover Jersey Arts Holiday Fashion Show at the Jersey Gardens Mall at 3 pm on November 18! Dancers from the American Repertory Ballet, Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company and Roxey Ballet (all ArtPride members!!) will strut their stuff down the runway in the latest fall fashions, just in time for Christmas shopping!

CD 101.9 will be at the Mall starting at noon to give away free tickets and merchandise, and you'll have the chance to spin the Jersey Arts Prize wheel for free stuff, too!

Free Jersey Arts Holiday Guides will be available and coming soon is the Jersey Arts Gift Card available at participating arts groups and centers throughout New Jersey. Here's the perfect holiday gift--the recipient will be delighted to use the card to purchase tickets of choice at locations like Appel Farm Arts & Music Center, the Bickford Theatre in Morristown, George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, the NJ Performing Arts Center, and Dante Hall Theater of the Arts in Atlantic City.

For more information on the Holiday Fashion Show and the Jersey Arts Gift Card, go to www.jerseyarts.com ArtPride is proud to be a co-sponsor of the Discover Jersey Arts statewide arts marketing initiative.

The Best 38 Minutes You'll Spend!

Of course no one has time. Nevermind time to sit in front of your computer and watch a video on creativity.

HOWEVER, if you're sitting at your desk and eating lunch, this video will aid your digestion. Listen (if you can't watch) to Sir Ken Robinson speak at the National Governor's Association Conference last week. He speaks passionately, eloquently, humorously, and engagingly about the need to nurture creativity, not only in education (and through education), but as vital to the future of American culture and the economy. Something we must nurture in NJ legislators!!

Here's the link (copy and paste it into your browser) and scroll down the page to August 7.
http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.6c9a8a9ebc6ae07eee28aca9501010a0/?vgnextoid=365dab5b42f5c010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=530f749a71302010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD

I guarantee it's the best 38 minutes you'll spend on the computer this summer. Thanks to Bob Morrison at the Music for All Foundation for posting it in his Music for All News today!

A Girl's Gotta Do What A Girl's Gotta Do!

Cultural tourism? How about spa and an afternoon at the theater? How about yoga, green tea and a show at George Street Playhouse?

GSP has got it down, girlfriends! From the Diva's Deluxe Retreat to Zen Friends to La Dolce Vita to redhatchat...some extremely creative theater packages that cater to the ladies and a special treat to zap the stress out of your life...for an afternoon or evening at least!

Check out georgestplayhouse.org and click on packages for all the details. Diva's Deluxe Retreat takes you to the East Brunswick Hilton's Boca Salon & Spa for a facial, massage, or manicure/pedicure and a shuttle directly to the theater with overnight accommodations back at the Hilton and breakfast the next morning!!!

Zen Friends starts with an afternoon yoga session with green tea or a smoothie at Port City Java afterwards and a 2 pm matinee performance. La Dolce Vita takes you to Catherine Lombardi Italian Restaurant right before the GSP show and redhatchat caters to chapters of the Red Hat Society with post-show dessert and coffee and guest speakers from the artistic team of the theater.

Go for it! I dare you!!!

So What Difference DOES $3.586 mil Less Mean to NJ Arts?

Well it was interesting reality on Tuesday at the NJSCA annual meeting. The Council celebrated its 40th anniversary and it was very clear that it's come a long way since its infancy when only a few grants were awarded and it was just getting its feet wet as a grantmaker.

Here we are 40 years later and after one year with a record $22.86 million to give to non-profit arts groups, political reality has taken hold, and the funding level is back to $19.112 million for what year? 2007??!! Shades of a few other administrations...like 1990 when funding was $19.060...and 2000 when it was $19.369 million. See if you can guess who the chief executives were for those budget years! And remember the old slogan of "20 by 2000??" Makes you wonder what "dedicated revenue" really means, doesn't it?

All cynicism and sarcasm aside, it's time to move ahead and I don't want to see $19 million or less again...EVER!!! Are you with me???