ArtPride New Jersey advances, promotes and advocates for the arts as essential to the quality of life of every citizen and to the economic vitality of our state.
History
ArtPride New Jersey, Inc. was incorporated in March 1986 in response to a need for an independent organization to represent the arts community to the New Jersey state legislature, to reinforce the importance of the arts to the public-at-large, and to present a unified voice on matters of importance to the arts community.
The ArtPride New Jersey Foundation was incorporated in 1996 as the educational arm of ArtPride New Jersey, Inc. The ArtPride New Jersey Foundation’s work focuses outside of arts related legislation to more broadly promote the value of the arts to New Jersey’s quality of life, education and economic vitality.
ArtPride New Jersey, Inc. was instrumental in saving the arts from elimination in the NJ state budget in 2003 and advocating for a dedicated state revenue source for arts, history and tourism through the NJ Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee. Since then ArtPride New Jersey continues to protect public arts support through grassroots advocacy efforts.
The ArtPride New Jersey Foundation co-sponsors Discover Jersey Arts and Art Matters with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The ArtPride New Jersey Foundation also serves as an information resource and broker between the arts and other public and private sectors. Research conducted by the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation underscores the value of the State’s non-profit arts industry that generates over $1.2 billion in economic activity each year. The ArtPride New Jersey Foundation also partners with other arts service organizations to serve the field by providing professional development opportunities for arts administrators.
