Advancing a State of Creativity

ArtPride New Jersey is the voice of New Jersey’s arts community. As the state’s largest arts service and advocacy organization, we work to preserve funding and advance policies that invest in the arts across all sectors. The vital research we furnish promotes the public value of the arts as fundamental to creating neighborhoods where people want to live, work, visit, and raise a family. Our award-winning audience development programs connect the public to what’s going on in our state’s arts scene and help increase attendance. The services we provide keep the field up-to-date on industry trends and foster collaboration among our hundreds of member organizations. 

Widely viewed as the go-to source for research, innovative programs and services, and high-impact advocacy, we are proud to support the work of our vibrant creative community. 

 

Voices from the Field

Equity and Diversity 'Inspire Life'
In a nation easily threatened by the chaos of change, equity and diversity have become contentious in an increasingly polarized world. Despite their definitions reflecting fairness and justice ,...
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ArtsRX at NJPAC: Social Prescribing Art as Holistic Alternative
Healthcare in the United States is a hot-button topic, inundating news media almost daily, and yet perhaps not a topic you would expect to appear in a conversation regarding the arts and...
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Community is Key at the Cultural Collective Café
A vibrant mural beckons passersby with its bright yellow background and multicolored art, juxtaposed alongside the gray, muted colors of the surrounding buildings. The red text above its open...
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The Most Crucial Element of Effective Civic Engagement is Art
These are tumultuous and uncertain times. The hyperpartisan nature of the United States’ political landscape is worrying, no matter where you find yourself on the political spectrum. There is one...
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How the NJEDA is Fostering the Transformative Power of the Arts for Economic Vitality
In preparing to write this article about the importance of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s (NJEDA) funding and investment in the arts, I visited their website to learn more about...
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Action Alerts

Support Federal Funding Impacting Arts Education - FY 2026
On January 19, the U.S. House of Representatives released the text of a minibus appropriations bill for FY 2026 that combines funding for Defense, Homeland, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-HUD, providing much-needed funding for the 2026-207 school year.

Overall, the bill provides $79 billion to the U.S. Department of Education, increases funding for key programs such as Title I and IDEA, and rejects the president’s budget proposal to consolidate many K-12 education programs into a single block grant.

This is a critical time to show your support for arts education and for increased access and opportunities in dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts programs. We...
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Thank Members of Congress for Supporting Arts Funding
✅ Congress has funded the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) at $207 million each for FY2026.

Your advocacy made a difference and is a true demonstration of the impact of your voice. Thank you for standing up for New Jersey! Over 700 emails were sent throughout the appropriations process. 

What’s Next: This funding matters, but our work continues. The State of the Union is scheduled for February 26th, and the President’s FY 2027 budget will be released shortly thereafter. We’ll need your voices again. Stay connected with ArtPride New Jersey for timely updates on how to stay involved in the...
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Help Protect IMLS from Harmful Cuts
Museums strengthen communities, drive local economies, and provide lifelong learning opportunities. Yet Congress is considering drastic cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Office of Museum Services (OMS) that would severely impact these institutions.

The House Appropriations Committee has advanced a bill that would slash OMS funding by $9.3 million, eliminating National Leadership Grants for Museums and critical research programs like the National Museum Survey—the first-ever federal snapshot of the museum sector. These programs support innovation and data-driven decision-making across the field.

We must also ensure that IMLS...
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