By Nick Norlen, Staff Writer
The Arts Council of Princeton will now be able to set up a $2 million endowment fund thanks to a lead gift — a $250,000 Legacy Grant — from the J. Seward Johnson Sr. 1963 Charitable Trust.
Arts Council Executive Director Jeff Nathanson announced the grant at the Feb. 12 Princeton Borough Council meeting.
”This particular grant is to support the programs specifically for the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood and to ensure that our building is always kept open and accessible to those neighbors,” he said, referring to the community in which the Arts Council building is located.
According to Arts Council, interest from the grant funds will be used to support arts programming, community access and scholarships for residents of the neighborhood.
Mr. Nathanson told the Borough Council that the Arts Council will keep the borough updated on the use of the funds, under its agreement with the trust.
”We will be coming to you on an annual basis with reports not only on the neighborhood activities, but the use of those funds,” he said.
Along with its frequent support of free community programming for the Arts Council, the J. Seward Johnson Sr. 1963 Charitable Trust has been a frequent benefactor for nonprofit organizations in the state and across the country in arts and cultural enrichment, education for the underserved, health and healthcare and other areas.
Recently, the Arts Council has worked to further its mission to “Build Community through the Arts” by renovating and expanding its arts center located on the corner of Witherspoon Street and Paul Robeson Place.
The facility, called the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, will offer multidisciplinary exhibitions, performances and free community events, workshops and classes for all ages, and outreach educational programming.
Mr. Nathanson said the completion of the center — which has suffered months of delay — is “almost there.”
”We are hoping for the completion of construction within the next six to eight weeks. If all goes well, we could be open for Communiversity,” he said, referring to the April community festival organized by the Arts Council and Princeton University students. “We’re crossing our fingers. We’ll keep you posted.”
