Lynne Toye

The New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund has hired a longtime nonprofit leader as its executive director.

Lynne Toye, of South Orange, will become the first leader of the fund that has awarded $3.9 million in grants to nonprofit arts, culture and history organizations that have suffered losses because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“We are thrilled to welcome Lynne as the inaugural executive director of the New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund,” said Jeremy Grunin, co-chair, NJACRF, and the President of the Grunin Foundation. “With her dynamic and diverse experience, Lynne will provide strategic vision and lead NJACRF to its next phase of development. We look forward to continuing to help ensure the survival of the arts, cultural and historical sector in New Jersey with Lynne at the helm.”

The New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund (NJACRF) was created last year with an initial gift from the Grunin Foundation, based in Toms River. Donations from other foundations in New Jersey quickly followed for the fund, which is hosted by the Princeton Area Community Foundation. 

NJACRF was formed to help stem the losses the pandemic caused for the arts sector. In 2020, the state’s nonprofit arts industry reported losses of more than $100 million, and more than half of its workforce was furloughed or laid off.

“I am thrilled to be able to combine my passion for arts and culture with the outstanding mission of the New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund,” said Toye. “I’m inspired by the great work the steering committee has already accomplished in supporting arts, cultural, and history organizations across the state. It’s clear there is much more work to do to help the arts and culture sector rebound. I look forward to collaborating with the NJACRF Steering Committee and making a continued impact.”

Toye has been supporting the arts and culture community for nearly 30 years. She most recently served as the chief administrative officer at the Harlem School of the Arts in New York City, where she was on the senior leadership team, managing the marketing, communications, and administration functions and created campaigns to support the Programs and Development departments.

Her previous roles include serving as the chief operating officer for Jazz House Kids in Montclair, director of the Center for Innovation Management at SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, director of the Stern School of Business Executive Education at New York University, and as president and CEO of Chester Mason, Inc. Design Studio in Philadelphia.

She holds an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and has also taught there as an adjunct professor. She’s also an artist who paints oils on canvas and has served as a mentor to emerging artists. She is an advocate for emerging and established artists and enjoys building community around supporting contemporary art.