Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) has been awarded a $288,890 grant by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA). This new level of annual support, which can be anticipated for three years, will enable GFS to maximize its role as a leading cultural institution in New Jersey. This funding will help support general operations, and bolster Grounds For Sculpture’s mission to be more accessible to a diverse array of New Jerseyans while presenting a strong calendar of programming, which includes arts, wellness, and horticultural experiences.

“We are honored to be among the cultural organizations that the State Council on the Arts has awarded this generous operational funding,” said Gary Schneider, executive director of Grounds For Sculpture. “The incredible support the state has contributed to the arts not only provides us vital resources to fulfill our mission, but also helps expand our offerings to engage with a broader, more diverse community.”

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts awarded more than $30 million in grants to support approximately 900 arts organizations, projects, and artists throughout the state on July 30. The grants were approved at the Council’s 58th Annual Meeting in Trenton, which featured a special musical performance by Hector Morales, a 2024 Arts Council Heritage Fellow.

“The investment made in our state’s artists and organizations has a direct, positive impact on New Jersey residents, families, businesses, and communities,” said Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, who oversees the Council in her role as secretary of state. “It’s an honor to work closely with the Council to help our state’s creative industries thrive, and to ensure New Jersey’s diverse constituencies can access the many benefits of the arts.”

Located in Hamilton, Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) is a 42-acre not-for-profit sculpture park, arboretum, and museum, founded by the late Seward Johnson Jr. Featuring over 300 contemporary sculptures by renowned and emerging artists in a beckoning, ever-changing landscape, Grounds For Sculpture combines art and nature to surprise, inspire, and engage visitors from all backgrounds in the artist’s act of invention. In addition to its permanent collection, Grounds For Sculpture offers exhibitions in six indoor galleries, alongside experiential art, horticulture, and wellness programs for all ages. For more information, visit groundsforsculpture.org.