ACCOMPLISHMENT HIGHLIGHTS for Fiscal Year, July 1, 2010- June 30, 2011
Educating Youth through the Arts
The Arts Council contracted to place 30 Arts Plus Residencies into the schools that directly involved more than 3,000 students with in-depth, interdisciplinary programs with professional teaching artists. One of the Arts Plus Residencies, the Barbara Keefauver Memorial Residency, targeted an underserved school in Morris County and was funded by the Arts Council of the Morris Area.
The annual Arts Education Showcase in May 2011 was attended by approximately 200 cultural arts representatives, teachers, administrators and artists representing more than 50 schools from 10 New Jersey counties. The Arts Council also served as a resource to schools by publishing its annual Arts Education Program Guide and supplemental website, in addition to a series of workshops that serve the cultural arts community by providing, information, networking, and peer to peer mentoring.
The Arts Council funded Telling Our Stories, a program for middle school students that uses storytelling as the vehicle to focus on improving oral and written communication skills in addition to developing self-esteem, conflict resolution abilities and problem-solving skills. Also funded was Girls Surviving, an intensive summer program led by a storyteller and an actor in which 14 to 17 year old girls examine issues facing them, share insights in a safe forum, and work through the issues by writing and performing a play as the culminating event.
Building Vibrant Communities through the Arts
The Arts Council regranted $40,500 in State funds to 26 arts organizations/arts programs throughout Morris County for general operating support or special arts projects. The Arts Council and its regrantees provided more than 750 cultural events that benefited approximately 78,000 individuals in Morris County.
The Arts Council’s Gallery at 14 Maple, a professional art gallery showcasing work from New Jersey artists, presented two juried exhibits open to the public.
Arts in Community
On June 26th, the Arts Council presented the 28th annual Giralda Music & Arts Festival, featuring the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, in a family-friendly event that includes an art show and sale and activities for the entire family.
A Pumpkin Illumination event was presented as part of the Arts Council’s ArtsEverywhere! initiative that brings grass-roots arts programming into the community.
Recognizing Outstanding Accomplishments in the Arts
Celebrate the Arts on May 12th recognized the Blackwell Street Center for the Arts as Outstanding Arts Organization; Mount Olive High School as Outstanding Arts Educator/School; Art Bonito as Outstanding Arts Advocate; Atlantic Health as Outstanding Corporation; and Harry Simon, as Outstanding Professional in the Arts. The Morristown CraftMarket, Kiwanis Club of Randolph Twp, NJ was honored with a Special Recognition.
The 2011 Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship ($1,250) was awarded to visual artist Catalina Ouyang who graduated from Parsippany Hills High School and will attend The Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University (St. Louis) next fall.
The 2011 Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship ($4,750) was awarded to dancer Madelyn Eltringham who graduated from Morris County School of Technology, Academy for Visual and Performing Arts and will attend SUNY Purchase next fall.
Collaborations & Partnerships
First Night® Morris County 2010: The Arts Council of the Morris Area has provided artistic programming for First Night Morris County since the event’s inception nearly 2 decades ago. This family friendly, non-alcoholic festival of the arts on New Year’s Eve attracts between 5,000-10,000 people from NJ, nearby states (and sometimes other countries!). For the December 31,2010 event , the Arts Council programmed more than 200 artists, presenting more than 80 events in 21 venues in downtown Morristown. Click HERE to see a video sampler (by Kevin Coughlin of www.MorristownGreen.com).
The Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders: the Arts Council presented monthly performances by high caliber performing artists at Morris County’s Morris View Health Care Center in its 3rd Saturdays at Morris View program. The Arts Council also managed the Atrium Art Gallery which featured 4 exhibits of contemporary art showcasing over 1,000 artworks by nearly 300 artists. The exhibits included an exhibit of African-American art, a juried exhibit of high school student art, as well as works by established and emerging artists. The Gallery is located on floors 2-5 of the Morris County Administration& Records Building.
The Mayo Performing Arts Center: The Arts Council partnered with Mayo to provide the programming for a second season of Music Without Borders, four free outdoor summer concerts of world music. This year, the series showcased music from Colombia, the Balkans, China and India.
Recognition & Awards
For the 14th consecutive time, the Arts Council received a Major Service Organization designation from the NJ State Council on the Arts in recognition of the Arts Council’s “solid history of service excellence, substantial activity and broad public service” as well as a Citation of Excellence for “achieving the highest standards of excellence.”
Arts and Humanities Month Proclamation from the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders identified the Arts Council as “a leader in developing, supporting and promoting artists, the arts and experiences that enhance and transform the lives of Morris County citizens.”
