Grants Awarded To Three Montclair Entities Including The Montclair Art Museum

The state Council on the Arts has awarded grants to several Montclair entities, including the Montclair Arts Council, which has been struggling as a result of budget cuts.

The state council, which receives money directly from the state, partly through a dedicated hotel/motel tax, awarded more than $15 million in grants to nearly 800 arts organizations throughout the state.

The Montclair Art Museum has received a total of $284,136 for operating costs, building arts participation, and arts education. The museum also received a grant of $10,000 from the Horizon Foundation this week.

The Montclair Arts Council, which is likely to be hit by a cut in municipal funding that MAC officials have said would cripple the organization, has received $17,928 for operating costs.

And the Montclair State University has received $65,622 for its fine arts program and art galleries.

In addition, Yass Hakoshima, a world-class mime who lives in Montclair and operates a school here, received $5,945, while FreeSpace Dance received $5,250.

"That makes five organizations from a town of 40,000 ... an impressive number from one small town," said Jim Peskin, executive director of the Montclair Arts Council.

Meanwhile, the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey also announced 17 grants this week totaling $213,750 including a grant of $10,000 for the Montclair Art Museum in support of its Free Family Days at the Museum Program. The program provides free admission for families two times a year and features guided tours of exhibitions, gallery activities, live musical, theater and dance performances, and workshops.

The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey supports charitable organizations that promote health and the arts throughout New Jersey.

"This round of grants continues our Foundation's support for organizations across the state making a difference in people's lives by providing health services to the homeless, fitness programs for children, nutrition education in the classroom as well as those organizations enriching our communities through the arts," said William J. Marino, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Foundation.

For more information about the Foundation visit www.horizonblue.com/foundation.