NJCU Launches Center for the Arts and Announces Formation of Arts Advisory Board

Goal Is Impact on Cultural Vitality of Jersey City                                     

Jersey City, N.J. (November 15, 2016) – New Jersey City University (NJCU) officially launches the NJCU Center for the Arts to bring its performing, visual, film, and literary arts activities under one creative umbrella, and to promote and support exhibitions and performances both on and off-campus.  NJCU has also formed an Arts Advisory Board whose mandate is to take a leadership role in shaping the cultural landscape of the arts in Jersey City and the Region.

Long considered a cultural hub of metro-north Jersey, NJCU boasts an accomplished international faculty in many disciplines, from music to theatre, to media and visual arts, and literature. These professionals mentor students, sharing their knowledge and passion, and also invite renowned guest artists to campus. The NJCU Center for the Arts’ mission is to expand NJCU’s arts and cultural identity, profile, resources, educational opportunities, and outreach programs and initiatives.

“We all know that nurturing and sustaining the arts is a challenge in every university and every community across America and abroad,” said NJCU President Sue Henderson. “I want to be sure that we at NJCU do all we can to meet the daunting challenges facing the arts and cultural communities in this area. To this end, we are creating the NJCU Arts Advisory Board.”

The newly formed Arts Advisory Board is comprised of 23 key individuals in the community who are dedicated to enhancing cultural opportunities in the region. Sharon Ambis, Chair of the Arts Advisory Board, comments, “The NJCU Arts Advisory Board is poised to become a partner with other key stakeholders in Jersey City to enhance the cultural vitality of our community through a series of programs and initiatives that will add value to artists, arts organizations and audiences.” 

A complete roster of the Arts Advisory Board and their professional affiliations is listed below.

To highlight its increased focus on the arts, the University’s Keynote Presidential Speaker is Tony Award-winning choreographer and artistic director Bill T. Jones. On Tuesday, November 15, Mr. Jones will reflect on his remarkable 40+ year career in the arts, and candidly discuss the dilemmas of self and identity as seen from the point of view of an artist who constantly asks the question: “Am I in this game and how do I stay in this game? The game in question is that of a life lived in the arts.” 

At a recent meeting, the NJCU Arts Advisory Board identified initiatives it will develop and implement over the next 12 months:

A Cultural Vision Plan for Jersey City: NJCU, in partnership with other stakeholders will develop an asset map, identify asset gaps, and create a Cultural Vision Plan which identifies key steps towards furthering the cultural vitality of Jersey City.

Arts Workshops: A series of workshops and panels featuring experts in fundraising, marketing, board development and programming from successful New Jersey and New York cultural institutions. Workshops will be offered at no charge to Jersey City artists and arts organizations.

Performances and Lectures by Distinguished Artists and Speakers: NJCU will continue its free Presidential Speaker Series at the Liberty Science Center in spring 2017. Past speakers have included theoretical scientist and author Michio Kaku, Pulitzer Prize-winning Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, and planetary scientist Carolyn Porco. Plans are underway for the annual NJCU Alumni Jazz Big Band Concert at J. Owen Grundy Pier in September 2017.

Jersey City Mayor Fulop notes, “NJCU is a leading partner in our efforts to further enhance the cultural landscape of Jersey City. NJCU faculty and students, working in tandem with the newly formed Arts Advisory Board, bring the City access to scholars and professionals in the arts, talented students eager to expand their horizons, and an Advisory Board comprised of arts and civic leaders. This creative collaboration when combined with other artists and arts organizations which partner with NJCU, will create an artistic force that is bound to raise cultural achievement to new heights.”

Arts Advisory Board Members of the NJCU Center for the Arts

·         Sharon Ambis, Director of Marketing, Jersey City Medical Center--Chair

·         Beth Bogush, Executive Producer, The Astaire Awards

·         Luca Cusolito, Creative Director, Division of Communications, City of Jersey City

·         Bea Daggett, Director of External and Strategic Affairs, Paper Mill Playhouse

·         Dr. Marsha Dubrow, CEO, The Dubrow Group

·         Steven Fink, NJCU alumnus and CEO, SummerTech and Coditum, SUNY Purchase

·         Philip Fortenberry, NJCU alumnus, pianist, and Associate Conductor of Jersey Boys, Las Vegas

·         Dan Frohwirth, M.D., Founding Member, Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy, and Board Member, ProArts and the      Open Sky Museum

·         Craig Goletz, President, Jersey City International Television and Film Festival

·         Maureen Goletz, Executive Director, Jersey City International Television and Film Festival

·         Christine Goodman, Founder and Executive Director, Art House Productions

·         Susan Haig, Creative Director, New Jersey Arts News

·         Ben Jones, visual artist and NJCU Professor Emeritus

·         Stefania Panepinto, artist, art advisor, and gallery owner, Panepinto Galleries

·         Al Parinello, NJCU alumnus, arts producer, former broadcast entrepreneur, and Board Member, NJCU Foundation

·         Brian Platt, Director, Jersey City New Innovation Team, City of Jersey City

·         Linda Quentzel, Executive Director, Hudson County School of Technology (HCST) Foundation, and Director of Development, HCST

·         David Rodriguez, Executive Vice President and Executive Producer, NJPAC

·         Mark Shulman, Senior Vice President and General Manager—Northeast, AEG Live

·         Paul Silverman, Principal, Silverman Building

·         Catherine Sippin, Assistant Director, Mana Contemporary

·         Don Jay Smith, arts promoter and public relations and fundraising specialist for the arts, LKS Associates, Inc.

·         Susan Wagner, Senior Coordinating Producer, NBC News Medical Unit

The NJCU Center for the Arts Winter/Spring calendar of events will be announced in December 2016. For NJCU’s Center for the Arts Fall 2016 Calendar of Events, visit www.njcu.edu/arts.