2024 Grant Award Recipients
The following Camden County Arts and History organizations have been awarded general operating and special project support for 2024.
Camden County Historical Society
Dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying, and interpreting life in Camden County and Southern New Jersey from 1600 to the present.
www.cchsnj.org
Arts Play Theatre
Arts Play Theatre is a non-profit theatre company that incorporated in June, 2022. Our mission is to use high quality and innovative theatre experiences to inspire young people and their families to be creative and empathetic. We are governed by a Board of Trustees (currently 4 individuals). Our staff is one Artistic Director and several teaching artists. We aim to benefit New Jersey communities, especially Camden County.
Community Rocks
OOur mission is to celebrate, educate and empower youth and communities, big or small, through music, arts, wellness and give back programs. We provide creative, active and positive outlets that foster community and nurture holistic wellness (physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, social and environmental health and well-being.
Camden Shipyard & Maritime Museum
The Camden Shipyard & Maritime Museum, founded in 2008, transformed an 1893 historic church into a local maritime history museum and home for the Urban BoatWorks program, a vibrant craft program that now serves over 100 students per week. With the successful opening of the museum in 2016, we are expanding our creative reach by renovating the former church rectory to create the Waterfront South Artist Residency in partnership with Camden FireWorks. In exchange for free living and studio space, four artists will provide eight hours of work on projects to improve the Waterfront South neighborhood.
www.camdenshipyardmuseum.org
ChildrenSong
ChildrenSong of New Jersey is a choral music education and performance program based in Haddonfield, New Jersey. Established in 2000, the program serves children in three choirs between the ages of 8 and 18 from Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester counties. Its mission is to provide quality music instruction with the goal of attaining the highest level of artistic excellence in choral music performance, enriching the lives of children from all religious, racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds.
childrensong.org
Friends of Barclay Farmstead
The Friends of Barclay Farmstead, Inc. is a non-profit, volunteer organization founded in 1975 to promote the historic, educational and interpretive activities of the Barclay Farmstead and to promote the restoration of the house, outbuildings and grounds
www.chnj.gov/906/Friends-of-Barclay-Farmstead
Garden State Chorale
The Garden State Chorale is an 87 year old Camden County Institution which offers a friendly social environment for sharing music among adults as well as introducing the vocal art form to various local community groups. We perform annual concerts in December and May as well as performing private concerts to local community groups. The mission of the Garden State Choral is to participate and promote public interest in and strive for excellence in the presentation of multi-faceted musical entertainment. In the past, we have provided backup for Andy Williams at the Trump Castle in Atlantic City, been selected as a USS New Jersey performance choir, performed as part of the Cooper River Twilight Series and were included in the Pennsauken’s 9/11 Memorial programs. The group’s credits also include pops concerts, patriotic concerts and community events in Camden, Burlington, Ocean, Cape May, Gloucester and Salem counties. Membership is by audition only, but, is usually offered to anyone with a sincere desire to sing with an organization such as ours. Auditions are usually held in September but can be arranged throughout the year by contacting a member of the Chorale.
Gloucester City Sail
The North Wind Schooner is operated by Gloucester City Sail, Inc. a nonprofit organization. The North Wind is home to experiential youth programs and is the premier sailing charter in the Philadelphia/Camden County area. Our Youth Outreach Program gives local youth the opportunity to do science, learn history, and work on the schooner North Wind while sailing on the Delaware River. Our goal is to inspire imaginations and expand career horizons for youth. GCS operates on a volunteer model. Gloucester City owns the boat and provides the insurance and dock at Freedom Pier in Gloucester City, NJ. In order to fund our primary mission, GCS offers charter cruises up and down the Delaware River. Our typical two-hour cruises are ideal for private events, or as fundraisers for regional non-profit organizations, such as churches, clubs and veteran groups.
northwindsail.org
Greater South Jersey Chorus
Greater South Jersey Chorus brings a culturally diverse, multilingual repertoire of music to the region to entertain, educate, and enrich our community. With music ranging from the 15th century to the present, our December and Spring concerts delight audiences of all ages. Profoundly moving major choral works accompanied by orchestra and professional soloists are a priority in our yearly programming.
Numbering over 100, our volunteer chorus members come from many different backgrounds and hold a variety of beliefs. Our shared love of choral music, hunger to learn more about the art of singing, and joy at delivering beautiful concerts to our growing audiences bind us together in an uncommon sense of unity treasured by all.
greatersouthjerseychorus.org
Haddon Heights Historical Society
Remembering yesterday for the people of tomorrow.
hhhistorical.org
Historical Society of Haddonfield
The Historical Society of Haddonfield was founded in 1914 and is committed to collecting and preserving the unique artifacts, documents, photographs, and other collection materials that help tell the history of Haddonfield and its environs in South Jersey.
www.haddonfieldhistory.org
Jersey Surf
Jersey Surf, Inc. was created in 1990 to provide marching music and performing arts education programs to high school and college students. The Jersey Surf is dedicated to providing quality educational opportunities for young people in the performing arts. These opportunities will occur in an environment which promotes the social and artistic development of the organization’s participants through creative programs designed with the highest possible quality of leadership & instruction.
Jubilee Music Enrichment
Jubilee Music Enrichment cultivates young leaders through the discipline of music training. JME capitalizes on using the discipline of learning and performing music as a vehicle to teach valuable leadership attributes such as setting and meeting goals, professional decorum, responsibility, overcoming challenges, and character building. JME offers piano lessons and a place to practice, music theory, vocal coaching, public speaking, mentoring, leadership development, and scholarship. All participants perform in the Jubilee Ringers hand bell choir. All programs are offered at no charge to youth in Camden and vicinity.
jubileeringers.com
The Lawnside Historical Society
The Lawnside Historical Society is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the history and heritage of Lawnside, New Jersey’s only African American incorporated municipality. The organization owns and operates the Peter Mott House Underground Railroad Museum. Tax deductible donations are always welcome. 856-546-8850 or lhs@petermotthouse.org.
petermotthouse.org
Marian Anderson Music Guild Inc.
The Marian Anderson Music Guild, Inc. is the South Jersey branch of the National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. (NANM), a historic organization since 1919. NANM provides assistance, performance opportunities, and black cultural awareness to serious music students. Its concern is with all aspects of music performance, teaching, arts management, jazz, gospel, and the varied musical interest of its members.
www.marianandersonmusicguild.org
The Neighborhood Center, Inc.
The mission of The Neighborhood Center is to generously love our neighbors as ourselves with abundant service and hope today and every day. We focus on a two generation approach to lifting families out of poverty. We are committed to providing a safe space for academic achievement, athletic accomplishment, and a flourishing arts program.
Nick Virgilio Haiku Association
The Nick Virgilio Haiku Association was founded in 1989 to promote the writing of haiku poetry, to provide encouragement and support to young people to write poetry, and to further the work and poetry of Camden haiku poet Nick Virgilio.
www.nickvirgiliohaiku.org
Old Baldy Civil War Roundtable
Founded in 1977, the Old Baldy Civil War Roundtable serves the greater Philadelphia area with a discussion forum for Civil War-era topics.
Pine Barons Barbershop Chorus
The Pine Barons Chorus is the South Jersey chapter of the Barbershop harmony Society, committed to the preservation of the original American music art form of barbershop.
http://pinebarons.org
Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey
The Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey is an 80-piece orchestra formed in 1991 to provide quality classical music to people throughout southern New Jersey and the Delaware Valley, and to offer performance opportunities for the talented musician. The philharmonic is the largest all-volunteer orchestra in the region. Orchestra members volunteer countless hours in rehearsals and public performances, as well as in music education programs at local schools.
www.psnj.org
Perkins Center For the Arts
Founded in 1977, Perkins is a community arts organization dedicated to providing arts education, arts experiences, and developing the artistic skills of people in its community, including presenting folk artists through the Folk Life Center. The mission of the Perkins Center is to enrich lives, inspire life-long learning, and cultivate intercultural experiences through the arts. Perkins is chiefly supported by a professional Board of Trustees, who work to develop the leading missions that Perkins Staff oversee the facilitation of the Centers Strategic goals.
Reimagine Runnemede
Reimagine Runnemede is a non-partisan, citizen-based network mobilized to promote the revitalization of our community by learning and building upon the best practices of other successful community models. We hope to inspire fellow residents, local businesses and our elected officials by partnering with them to creatively seek new solutions through Arts-Based Community Development and Creative Placemaking.
www.reimaginerunnemede.org
SJ Youth Arts
The Somerdale Historical Society was established in 2019. Our Mission is to actively pursue and document all history pertaining to the Borough of Somerdale, past and present. And to archive and preserve all history so that future generations have a glimpse of our past.
somerdale-nj.com/
South Camden Theatre Company
South Camden Theatre Company, Inc. is a professional theatre company who strives to enhance the community by creating quality artistic productions while anchoring The Waterfront South Arts District. It is our dream, and the dream of those who support our efforts, that the opening of a theater in Camden serves the community and region by producing plays that make a difference by enriching the lives of those who live, work and come to Camden. As the anchor of a budding arts community, we believe you deserve to see the best production possible at the fairest price possible.
Join us for a play. Visit our neighbors. Enjoy the arts.
www.southcamdentheatre.org
South Jersey Caribbean Cultural and Development Organization, Inc.
The South Jersey Caribbean Festival celebrates the vibrant and diverse culture and traditions of the Caribbean islands.
The Annual South Jersey Caribbean Festival is a FREE cultural event that showcases Caribbean art, music, food, and dance. This multi-cultural family event attracts people from the New Jersey and Philadelphia regions with its dynamic entertainment and Caribbean food favorites such as Jerk Chicken, Oxtails, Curry Shrimp, Roti and more. There are free activities in the children’s tent, community information, health screenings, Caribbean food vendors and FREE giveaways.
sjcaribbean.org/
Tri-State Jazz Society
The Tri-State Jazz Society, Inc. (TSJS) is dedicated to the preservation and live performances of early jazz, including traditional New Orleans, Dixieland, swing, ragtime, stride piano, and boogie-woogie. The society’s concerts feature leading professional small bands and soloists.
http://tristatejazz.org
That Which Connects Camden
ThatWhichConnects began as a dance festival in order to spark ingenuity and innovation, while bolstering Camden’s creative spirit. It is a platform for dance companies in the City of Camden, as well as Camden County and the larger Delaware Valley, to celebrate their artistry as well as become a part of the reemerging arts community in Camden. ThatWhichConnect’s mission is to bolster the strong arts community in and surrounding the City of Camden. Reflected in its mission statement, “Our mission is twofold and designed to celebrate Camden’s significant dance legacy through educational and collaborative opportunities and present a signature event that builds upon and strengthens Camden’s cultural community.”
Tri-County Symphonic Band, Inc.
Founded in 1976 as the Hamilton Bicentennial Band, Tri-County Symphonic Band was based at Camden County College, Blackwood campus, as an artist in residence between 1986 and 2022. The members proudly came together creating an ensemble of unique versatility. They are governed by a six member board comprised of a president, vice president, secretary, conductor, and assistant conductor.
Voorhees Art Commission
Voorhees Theatre Company’s mission is to offer performance and educational opportunities to artists on stage and behind the scenes and to bring audiences professional-caliber performances within and beyond the walls of the theatre. Our organization is well known for educating and nurturing young performers and for offering performance and theatre opportunities to local artists of all ages. VTC offers a safe harbor to all participants who want to explore the arts.
voorheestheatre.org
Voorhees Theatre Company
Voorhees Theatre Company’s mission is to offer performance and educational opportunities to artists on stage and behind the scenes and to bring audiences professional-caliber performances within and beyond the walls of the theatre. Our organization is well known for educating and nurturing young performers and for offering performance and theatre opportunities to local artists of all ages. VTC offers a safe harbor to all participants who want to explore the arts.
voorheestheatre.org
Wind Symphony of Southern NJ
The Wind Symphony was founded in 1965 as the Cherry Hill Symphonic Band to allow adults and advanced students to perform wind music at a high level. Since that time, the group’s name has changed, but the purpose of the group has been unchanged – to bring high quality music to audiences in Southern New Jersey and its surroundings. In the past, the group presented concerts nationally and internationally, partnering with guest artists from the Philadelphia Orchestra and other prestigious organizations.
Writer’s House at Rutgers-Camden
With a front door on historic Cooper Street, the Writers House provides a welcoming space for the campus and community to celebrate writing across diverse disciplines, communities, and media.
writershouse.camden.rutgers.edu
