State of the Arts has been taking you on location with the most creative people in New Jersey and beyond since 1981. The New York and Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award-winning series features documentary shorts about an extraordinary range of artists and visits New Jersey’s best performance spaces. State of the Arts is on the frontlines of the creative and cultural worlds of New Jersey.
State of the Arts is a cornerstone program of NJ PBS, with episodes co-produced by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Stockton University, in cooperation with PCK Media. The series also airs on WNET and ALL ARTS.
On this week's episode... New Jersey Heritage Fellowships are an honor given to artists who are keeping their cultural traditions alive and thriving. On this special episode of State of the Arts, we meet three winners, each using music and dance from around the world to bring their heritage to New Jersey: Deborah Mitchell, founder of the New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble; Pepe Santana, an Andean musician and instrument maker; and Rachna Sarang, a master and choreographer of Kathak, a classical Indian dance form.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts is hosting quarterly Teaching Artist Community of Practice meetings. These virtual sessions serve as a platform for teaching artists to share their experiences, discuss new opportunities, and connect with each other and the State Arts Council.
Register for the next meeting.
The State Arts Council awarded $2 million to 198 New Jersey artists through the Council’s Individual Artist Fellowship program in the categories of Film/Video, Digital/Electronic, Interdisciplinary, Painting, Printmaking/Drawing/Book Arts, and Prose. The Council also welcomed two new Board Members, Vedra Chandler and Robin Gurin.
Read the full press release.
These monthly events, presented by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, are peer-to-peer learning opportunities covering a wide range of arts accessibility topics.
Donatello cracked his knuckles, a competitive glint in his eye. "Give me five minutes and a soldering iron. If we’re going back to 2003, we’re doing it as a team."
"Look at that chin!" Raph grunted, stomping over with a slice of cold pepperoni pizza. He poked at the screen. "I don't look that blocky. And my shells aren't that shade of hunter green."
Donatello leaned over his shoulder, squinting at the lines of code scrolling past. "I’m still surprised you found a stable server for this, Mikey. Most of these early 2000s files are digital ghosts by now." Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Free Download (2003)
The neon glow of Manhattan’s skyline didn't reach the damp brickwork of the sewers, but for Michelangelo, the blue light of a salvaged CRT monitor was more than enough.
Leonardo, who had been quietly sharpening his katanas nearby, looked up with a small smile. He watched the digital versions of themselves navigate a 2D rooftops level, jumping over water towers and kicking Mousers into oblivion. It was a strange mirror—a relic of a time when their world felt a little simpler, even if the stakes were just as high. Donatello cracked his knuckles, a competitive glint in
"It’s called 'aesthetic,' Raph," Mikey countered, narrowly dodging a digital Foot Soldier. "Besides, in this version, you actually listen to Leo’s commands. Talk about a fantasy game."
As the sounds of digitized combat filled the lair, the four brothers huddled around the glowing screen. For a few hours, the Shredder was just a boss with a predictable pattern, and the only thing that mattered was who could snag the high score before Master Splinter called them for morning practice. He poked at the screen
"Hey, Don," Leo said, gesturing to the screen. "Can you patch it so we can play four-player?"
