National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu to Visit New Jersey, July 25-26, 2016
Washington, DC – Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will join Congressman Leonard Lance (R-NJ) in New Jersey on July 25 and 26, 2016. Congressman Lance, who co-chairs the Congressional Arts Caucus, will spotlight the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey and the Matheny Medical and Educational Center during a tour of the state’s local arts community. Then, Chairman Jane Chu will attend the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Annual Meeting, with Chairman Chu making remarks at the meeting’s 50th Anniversary celebration reception. Follow @NEAJaneChu on Twitter for updates and photos on her trip to New Jersey.
On Monday, July 25, Chairman Chu and Congressman Lance will visit the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, the state’s largest institution devoted to viewing, making, and learning about contemporary art. The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is a recipient of an FY 2016 NEA grant to support Park Wonder: Rediscovering Northern New Jersey Landscapes, an artist residency and exhibition with artist Matthew Jensen. As part of the site visit, the group will tour the Art Center, meet students participating in summer camp art-making program, and speak with Jensen about how he plans to use his residency.
Next, Chairman Chu and U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance will visit the Matheny Medical and Educational Center’s Arts Access Program, which enables individuals with disabilities to fully express themselves in the visual arts. As part of their visit, they will tour the arts center and meet artists working in the painting studio and taking part in a dance session. The Matheny Medical and Educational Center is a special hospital and school for children and adults with medically complex developmental disabilities. In 2013, they celebrated the 20th anniversary of their Arts Access program which enables people with disabilities to create art without boundaries, assisted by professional artist-facilitators. The NEA has supported Matheny’s Full Circle celebration, a multidisciplinary event that showcases art created by individuals with disabilities. In addition, the NEA has supported a research project by Matheny to study the impact of visual, performing, and literary arts participation on self-determination and on locus of control among adults with developmental disabilities.
On Tuesday, July 26, Chairman Chu will give remarks at the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Annual Meeting and attend the 50th Anniversary Celebration Reception. For 50 years, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts has been a resource for the arts in New Jersey. The meeting and reception are free and open to the public.
As part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ 50th anniversary celebration, the NEA has created a story bank of multimedia content that showcases the impact of the arts. To date, hundreds of people from across the country, including New Jersey, have submitted stories about how the arts and the National Endowment for the Arts have impacted their lives. In addition, Congressman Lance contributed a video about the arts in New Jersey.
Media should contact Judith Kargbo at kargboj@arts.gov or 202-682-5528 (Chairman Chu) or John Byers at john.byers@mail.house.gov or 202-225-5361 (U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance) in advance for any interview requests.
Monday, July 25, 2016 12:00-1:00PM Site Visit and Tour of Visual Arts Center of New Jersey Location: 68 Elm St, Summit, NJ 07901 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Leonard Lance, U.S. Representative for New Jersey Nick Paleologos, New Jersey State Council on the Arts Melanie Cohn, Executive Director, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey Mary Birmingham, Curator, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey Matthew Jensen, Artist for “Park Wonder” Cynthia McChesney, Director, Development and Marketing, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey Adam Perle, President and CEO, ArtPride NJ
1:00-1:15PM Press Availability Location: Visual Arts center of New Jersey 68 Elm St, Summit, NJ 07901
2:45-3:45PM Site Visit and Tour of Matheny Medical and Educational Center Location: 65 Highland Ave, Peapack, NJ 07977 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Leonard Lance, U.S. Representative for New Jersey Nick Paleologos, Executive Director, New Jersey State Council on the Arts Dr. Kendell Sprott, President/CEO, Matheny Medical and Educational Center Eileen Murray, Director, Matheny Arts Access Program Sandy Josephson, PR and Development Director, Matheny Dr. Vincent Barba, Vice President - Patient Care and Safety, Chief Medical Officer & Safety Officer, Matheny Medical and Educational Center
3:45-4:00PM Press Availability Location: Matheny Medical and Educational Center 65 Highland Ave, Peapack, NJ 07977
Tuesday, July 26, 2016 10:00AM- 2:00PM New Jersey State Council on the Arts Annual Meeting and 50th Anniversary Celebration Reception 10:20AM NEA Chairman Jane Chu Gives Remarks Location: Assembly Chamber of the New Jersey State House 125 W State St, Trenton, NJ 08608 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Elizabeth A. Mattson, Chair, New Jersey State Council on the Arts Nick Paleologos, Executive Director, New Jersey State Council on the Arts
About the National Endowment for the Arts About the National Endowment for the Arts Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts and the agency is celebrating this milestone with events and activities through September 2016.
Monday, July 25, 2016 12:00-1:00PM Site Visit and Tour of Visual Arts Center of New Jersey Location: 68 Elm St, Summit, NJ 07901 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Leonard Lance, U.S. Representative for New Jersey Nick Paleologos, New Jersey State Council on the Arts Melanie Cohn, Executive Director, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey Mary Birmingham, Curator, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey Matthew Jensen, Artist for “Park Wonder” Cynthia McChesney, Director, Development and Marketing, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey Adam Perle, President and CEO, ArtPride NJ
1:00-1:15PM Press Availability Location: Visual Arts center of New Jersey 68 Elm St, Summit, NJ 07901
2:45-3:45PM Site Visit and Tour of Matheny Medical and Educational Center Location: 65 Highland Ave, Peapack, NJ 07977 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Leonard Lance, U.S. Representative for New Jersey Nick Paleologos, Executive Director, New Jersey State Council on the Arts Dr. Kendell Sprott, President/CEO, Matheny Medical and Educational Center Eileen Murray, Director, Matheny Arts Access Program Sandy Josephson, PR and Development Director, Matheny Dr. Vincent Barba, Vice President - Patient Care and Safety, Chief Medical Officer & Safety Officer, Matheny Medical and Educational Center
3:45-4:00PM Press Availability Location: Matheny Medical and Educational Center 65 Highland Ave, Peapack, NJ 07977
Tuesday, July 26, 2016 10:00AM- 2:00PM New Jersey State Council on the Arts Annual Meeting and 50th Anniversary Celebration Reception 10:20AM NEA Chairman Jane Chu Gives Remarks Location: Assembly Chamber of the New Jersey State House 125 W State St, Trenton, NJ 08608 Participants: Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Elizabeth A. Mattson, Chair, New Jersey State Council on the Arts Nick Paleologos, Executive Director, New Jersey State Council on the Arts
About the National Endowment for the Arts About the National Endowment for the Arts Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts and the agency is celebrating this milestone with events and activities through September 2016.
Contact
Judith Kargbo, NEA Public Affairs, kargboj@arts.gov, 202-682-5570
John Byers, Office of Congressman Leonard Lance, john.byers@mail.house.gov, 202-225-5361
