In Wednesday’s (7/27) Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey), Peggy McGlone writes, “The New Jersey State Council on the Arts was forced to play the role of King Solomon today, making across-the-board cuts to the majority of its traditional grantees so it could award money to help save a new applicant, the Newark Museum. One of the state’s cultural gems, the museum was given $1 million to help stave off the crisis created when it lost the $2 million it usually receives from the Legislature. … Although its grants budget was about equal to last year, the council imposed 3.5 percent to 5 percent cuts to most orchestras, performing arts centers, theater companies and dance troupes to support the Newark Museum with the third largest grant awarded. … The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center received the top grants of $1,116,779 and $1,065,433, each 5 percent smaller than last year. With the addition of the Newark Museum’s $1 million grant, the arts council’s top three recipients are all located in Newark. Most arts leaders expressed relief that the cuts were not deeper.”
Posted July 29, 2011
