Jeff Nathanson of Arts Council of Princeton
The Nov. 11 front page article, “Sorry, but Princeton is not hip; even worse we’re not cool,” perpetuates an unnecessarily negative perception about this town that is that not only undeserved, but also inaccurate. Granted, Princeton isn’t a big city, but it happens to be a great place for young couples and families, many of whom are of the “creative class” referred to in the piece. Who can argue the wealth of creative and fun programs offered by the library, the Arts Council, the university, and many other organizations. What about the many local restaurants and cafés in town that offer a good place to hang out and listen to music, often with minimal or no cover charge?
The hundreds of young creative participants in Arts Council of Princeton events know that there most definitely are “cool” offerings in Princeton. Just ask any of the many Salsa students who come to the Paul Robeson Center every Thursday night. Or, any of the audience members who were at the Robeson Center for a preview film screening with director Charles Evered and star Bebe Neuwirth. You could ask any of the 400-plus artists and collectors who came to the Arts Council’s spring art event Pinot to Picasso — praised by many as a “hip NY loft party right here in Princeton.”
It is most unfortunate the article quotes J. Michael Littwin incorrectly stating that the Arts Council’s rental fee for the “event” space is now $800. That happens to be utterly untrue. The actual rental fees for the Robeson Center Theater start at one-quarter of that — a very reasonable $200. For more information about the Arts Council’s many hip, fun, free and affordable offerings, and for rental information, visit www.artscouncilofprinceton.org or stop by the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts.
Jeff Nathanson,
Executive Director,
Arts Council of Princeton
