Union County, NJ- The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that 31 Union County libraries, schools, and arts organizations will receive a total of $67,000 in funding through the 2019 Union County Local Arts Grant Program. The grant program is funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

“On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I would like to thank our 2019 awardees for their contributions to the quality of life in Union County, by increasing and diversifying public participation and access to the arts, as well as fostering the growth and development of our local artists,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.

Funding for the Local Arts Grant program is part of a block grant of $144,813 awarded to the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The remainder of the block grant is used for a technical assistance workshops and a variety of public programs organized by the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs including Teen Arts and the Senior Citizen Art Show.

For information about all programs of the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, visit ucnj.org/parks-recreation, call 908-558-2550 or e-mail culturalinfo@ucnj.org. NJ relay users dial 711.

The 2019 Union County Local Arts Grant Program award recipients are:

Cranford

CDC Community Theatre: General operating support for affordable, family-friendly, live theatre, with several productions annually. $3,500

Celebration Singers: General operating support for popular music programs by a large adult chorus, children’s chorus and a young adult chorus, performed at various venues in the county. $2,800

Elizabeth

Community Access Unlimited: Multi-disciplinary arts program for adults and youth with developmental or other disabilities. $2,600

Elizabeth Public Library: A series of free fall concerts, featuring performances by local and regional artists, held primarily at the main Broad St. branch. $2,800

United Way of Greater Union County: The “Learning Mi Way” program brings music, stories and activities to childcare-center preschoolers. $1,400

YWCA of Eastern Union County: Art classes for women and children recovering from domestic violence are held in a local shelter. $2,400

Fanwood

Life Drawing Studio Group: A series of life-drawing classes for adults (with live model); and portfolio development workshops for people applying to art school. $1,500

Kenilworth

Kenilworth Public Library: Presenting “The Bard on the Boulevard,” a series of free performances by Hudson Shakespeare Company; plus an art program for children presented as part of a reading program. $1,000

Linden

Linden Public Library: Presenting a multi-disciplinary series of family and child-oriented events. $1600

Plainfield

Community Educational & Cultural Association, Inc.: Crescent Concerts presents concerts of primarily classical music, including vocal and instrumental artists, both professional and amateur. $3,100

City of Plainfield Senior Citizens Center: The Center offers classes and activities for senior citizens including drama, photography and crafts. $2,300

duCret School of Art: General operating support for high-quality visual art classes for adults, teens and children, offered in studios within a historic building. $3,100

Ivy Visions Charitable Arm / Alpha Kappa Alpha: A free showcase for Black History Month, featuring dynamic African-American artists, such as singers, dancers, musicians and storytellers. $1,700

King’s Daughter’s Day School: Supporting the work of a music teacher to conduct music sessions for children attending summer-camp and daycare sessions. $1,600

Plainfield Symphony Society: Operating for nearly a century, the Plainfield Symphony presents four concerts and two family concerts for diverse audiences. $3,300

Rahway

Rahway Valley Jerseyaires: General operating support for singers to learn, rehearse, and perform barbershop-style choral music for the public in varied settings. $1,800

Scotch Plains

Chinese American Music Ensemble: Enables adult and youth choruses to practice a variety of vocal music, with emphasis on Chinese-language songs, and to perform an annual concert in Westfield.  $1,500

Jewish Community Center of Central NJ: An annual Jewish Film Festival of award-winning movies, shown at the Rialto Theatre in Westfield. $1,700

Springfield

Friends of Springfield Library: A film series for the general public, including high-quality foreign films, classic films, and selections for children and teens. $1,100

Summit

Afternoon Music, Inc.: Classical and jazz chamber music concerts, featuring vocal and instrumental professionals; free admission for seniors and students. $1,500

Concord Singers: General operating support for a women’s community chorus – an ensemble of novices and experienced singers performing two concerts annually. $1,900

Connection for Women and Families: Free dance workshops for the public; and visual art activities during an after-school program held at Summit public schools. $2,500

Continuo Arts Foundation: Supporting the inter-generational singing group, Seniors Sing!  $2,400

Summit Chorale: General operating support for the Summit Chorale’s annual season of four concerts.  $2,800

Summit Public Library: A series of music concerts and theater performances for all ages, with special emphasis on senior citizens and families.  $1,700

Summit Symphony Orchestra: The Young Artist Competition provides young musicians the opportunity to perform in concert with a full symphony. $1,900

Westfield

Choral Art Society of New Jersey, Inc.: General operating support to enable vocational singers to study classical choral music and perform several concerts annually. $2600

Community Players of Westfield: General operating support for four theatre productions, presented by volunteers and amateurs at Community Players’ own playhouse. $3,300

New Jersey Workshop for the Arts: The Music Connection program provides free instrumental music lessons to families with a disabled child, including use of instruments. The program fosters creative partnership between parents and children. – $2,000

Oratorio Singers: General operating support for a volunteer chorus that performs an annual concert of significant choral literature, along with professional orchestra and professional soloists. $2,100

The August Symphony Orchestra: Presenting a free summer concert of classical music performed by a full orchestra composed of local musicians (including students) and professional soloists. $1,500

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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