Walk this way… if you will. The year is 1986. The Bears win the Super Bowl. Whitney Houston asks, “How Will I Know” and Bon Jovi accuses, “You Give Love a Bad Name.” Ferris Bueller skips school, Lt. Ripley takes on Aliens, Maverick loses Goose. Amongst Molly Ringwald getting pretty in pink and golden gal Betty White winning an Emmy, something's stirring in New Jersey’s arts scene. In his fiscal year 1985 budget, Governor Kean proposed an increase to the State Arts Council’s funding – but was challenged by the legislature. For the first time, artists and arts organizations realized the importance of speaking with legislators in support of the increase. Thanks to organized lobbying efforts, the proposed increase held when the budget was passed. In May 1985, in response to another proposed Arts Council budget increase for fiscal year 1986, arts leaders organized a major rally in Trenton to demonstrate their support of the governor’s budget.
Again, the increase was sustained when the budget was passed. With the groundwork laid and its mission clear, ArtPride New Jersey was born. For the past 30 years, ArtPride has acted as a unified voice for New Jersey’s arts community, working to bolster arts funding and develop policies that invest in the arts. With the support of more than 200 arts organizations and countless advocates, we promote the arts as essential to New Jersey’s quality of life and its economic vitality, protect public arts support through grassroots advocacy efforts and offer a wide range of programs and services for the cultural community. Help us celebrate our big 3-0 by donating $30 (or more) this year. Make your gift today and help us advance a state of creativity! Save the Date for an ArtPride anniversary celebration on Friday, November 11th in Burlington!
