JerseyArts People's Choice Award Winners Announced: Paper Mill Playhouse, NJPAC & More

From December 1, 2011 through January 18, 2012 JerseyArts.com invited the public to vote for their favorite nonprofit arts groups in its fourth annual People's Choice Awards. The categories ranged from theater and performing arts center, to museum and gallery, to symphony and dance company. Many organizations rallied their audiences to vote and in total a record number of over 6800 people cast their ballot in this year's awards.

The winners were announced today online at JerseyArts.com and via email to all the voters. Recipients will formally receive their awards in a ceremony at The New Jersey Tourism Conference, held March 14-16, 2012 in Atlantic City, NJ.

2011 JERSEYARTS.COM PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS WINNERS:

Favorite Performing Arts Center: New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)
Favorite Theater to See a Musical: Paper Mill Playhouse
Favorite Theater to See a Play: Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
Favorite Art Museum: Newark Museum
Favorite Art Gallery: Arts Council of Princeton
Favorite Symphony/Orchestra: New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO)
Favorite Choral Group: Westminster Choir
Favorite Opera Company: Opera New Jersey
Favorite Dance Company: American Repertory Ballet
Favorite Music Festival: Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Festival
Favorite Film Festival: New Jersey Film Festival
Favorite Place to Take an Adult Arts Class: Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
Favorite Place to Take a Kid's Arts Class: Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre School
Favorite Downtown Arts District: New Brunswick

“We are so thankful for the outpouring of support from community that we serve,” said Mark S. Hoebee, Producing Artistic Director of Paper Mill Playhouse. “We are overjoyed to receive an award for our Paper Mill Playhouse Theater School, which has served the community and the state for more than 20 years. Programs like our Theater School, Adult Theater Classes and our Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory give students a supportive environment in which to learn and explore elements of performance and learn life skills.” 

Jersey Arts Marketers (JAM) member organizations were nominated by their peers through an anonymous online ballot. All organizations registered with the Jersey Arts Marketers were provided one ballot and were restricted from voting for their own group in any category. Those listed on the ballot received the most nominations in each category and are listed in order, starting with the group receiving the highest number of nominations near the top. The nomination process was held from November 8-23, 2011. The online poll is not considered scientific nor does it intend to make any evaluations as to artistic achievement or excellence; instead, it is designed to give the public a voice in determining the most popular arts institutions in New Jersey.

JerseyArts.com is the official website of Discover Jersey Arts, a cosponsored project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and ArtPride New Jersey Foundation. The site provides a comprehensive cultural event calendar, online arts directory, podcast, membership program, and a variety of other resources aimed at increasing the awareness of and participation in the arts in New Jersey.

Discover Jersey Arts (DJA) is a cosponsored project of the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation and New Jersey State Council on the Arts working in partnership with other cultural service organizations statewide including the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, South Jersey Cultural Alliance, New Jersey Network and New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism. The project’s mission is to increase the awareness of and participation in the arts in New Jersey. JerseyArts.com supports this mission by providing a central clearinghouse of information on New Jersey’s cultural scene.

Since its launch in the summer of 2000 following more than two years of research and development into assessing the needs of its constituents, DJA has developed a wide variety of programs and initiatives to support our state’s cultural community while providing resources to the public. For more information visit DJA on the web at http://www.jerseyarts.com.

Paper Mill Playhouse, a not-for-profit arts organization, is one of the country's leading regional theatres. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, A Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by generous contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

New Jersey Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. THE LITTLE MERMAID (HOWELL PAL THEATRE COMPANY)

3.1% of votes

2. HAIR (Vanguard Theater Company)

2.9% of votes

3. SCHOOL OF ROCK (Playhouse 22)

2.9% of votes

Vote Now!