State Arts Council Honors New Jersey Artists

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts held its first public meeting of 2019 today at the Council offices in Trenton, where this year's Artist Fellowship awards were announced.

"It is an honor that so many artists - of all backgrounds and disciplines - call New Jersey home," said Secretary of State Tahesha Way. "These artists work daily to enrich the lives of all New Jerseyans and have helped New Jersey become a distinctive arts destination. I am proud to work closely with the State Arts Council to continue to support artists through programs such as the Individual Artist Fellowship."

"We are extremely proud of these artists and grateful for the opportunity to highlight their work," said Council Chair Elizabeth Mattson. "The Fellowship program is designed to make it just a little easier for artists of all kinds to focus on their work; to contribute to communities, families, and individuals in immeasurable ways."

The Individual Artist Fellowships are competitive awards to New Jersey artists in 12 rotating disciplines granted solely on independent peer panel assessment of work samples. The anonymous process is focused on artistic quality, and awards may be used to help artists produce new work and advance their careers. New Jersey artists applied for awards this year in the categories of painting, works on paper, media art, digital/electronic art, and prose. This program is carried out in partnership with the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, and is managed by the Council's Director of Artist Services Danielle Bursk.

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, created in 1966, is a division of the NJ Department of State. The Council was established to encourage and foster public interest in the arts; enlarge public and private resources devoted to the arts; promote freedom of expression in the arts; and facilitate the inclusion of art in every public building in New Jersey. The Council receives direct appropriations from the State of New Jersey through a dedicated, renewable Hotel/Motel Occupancy fee, as well as competitive grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. To learn more about the Council, please visit www.artscouncil.nj.gov.