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Perth Amboy Arts Council Highlights ’16 Accomplishments

Perth Amboy Mural at the Yacht Club by Kerry Dyke, Art Major at Mason Gross *Photo Submitted

Press Release

The Perth Amboy Arts Council, an advisory Board to the City Council and Mayor Wilda Diaz, has highlighted the wide-ranging series of accomplishments the Council was able to present to the City during 2016 in a year end summary.

“We’re very proud to have been able to help the local artists, Perth Amboy’s citizens and the City businesses and government in so many ways this past year”, announced Greg Bender the President of the Council.  As an advisory board in its second year, the Council has established operating procedures and has connected with the local art community, City Recreation Department and businesses, as well as creating and supporting the artistic interests of the City’s residents.

President Greg Bender provided a long list of the many Arts initiatives the Council was able to complete during the past year:

Council Events:

• Partnered with the Perth Amboy Recreation Dept. to hold the second annual l Waterfront Arts Festival, which attracted over 75 artists and 1000 attendees. Council members participated as exhibitors, created publicity materials and supplied volunteer help.

• For the second year, collaborated with the Perth Amboy School District on a trip for high school art students to Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts for an exclusive viewing of the BFA Visual Art exhibit and a tour of the department. The visit also included professional exchanges between the students and the Art School artists.

• Provided sustained inputs to the Perth Amboy Creative Plan, “Creative Perth Amboy”, which was awarded “Best Municipal Plan – 2016 by The American Planning Association – N.J.

• Hosted a Reception at the Perth Amboy Gallery for the Gateway Neighborhood to publicize and seek feedback for the Creative Plan.  The Council also obtained sponsorship for full sized map displays from the Creative Plan.

• In recognition of Perth Amboy’s APA Award for the Arts Creative Plan, Arts Council President Greg Bender accepted an invitation to speak at the Sustainability Institute at the College of New Jersey’s Sustainability Summit.

• Developed a standardized Arts Council Branding Strategy by creating a Logo, and using it on all Arts Council written and electronic communications.

• Successfully conducted fundraising efforts with Perth Amboy industries to help support the Waterfront Arts Festival.

• Conducted two field trips for Council members to see and evaluate the Woodbridge Avenel Street and train station murals and the Carteret parks’ artwork and the Town Arts District.

• Formally processed and approved the first Perth Amboy public mural, along the waterfront walkway at the Raritan Yacht Club.  The process used application forms created by the Council and followed the City ordinance.  The mural has been well received and is a community asset.

Additional Arts Council Initiatives:

• The Council provided input to the NJ Transit public information session on the new train bridge, including a request for the bridge to include room under it for continuation of the City’s riverwalk.  This access was a key part of the Creative Plan.

• The Council provided art inputs and photos to the City for the art component of the plan to expand and develop Rudyk Park.

• The Council also provided recommendations to NJ Transit for arts components and arts uses for the historic train station as part of the new station project.

Perth Amboy Art Students Visit Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts Gallery *Photo Submitted

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