Mercer County New Jersey Arts and Culture Nonprofit Organizations

The mission of the Arts Council of Princeton is to build community through the arts by providing opportunities for appreciation of and participation in the visual, performing, and literary arts in Princeton and the greater Princeton region.

The Arts Council of Princeton is a multi-disciplinary organization encompassing three key functions:
* Operating a center for arts education, exhibitions, literary events, and performing arts that is accessible to people of all ages and from all socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.
* Serving the community through events, as an advocate for arts appreciation, and as a catalyst for artistic activity in the region.
* Providing a support, advocacy, and coordinating structure for local artists and arts organizations.

Visit the Arts Council of Princeton website.

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Artworks, Trenton's downtown visual arts center, promotes artistic diversity by fostering creativity, learning, and appreciation of the arts. Their classes, exhibitions, and events make art an accessible experience for all. With this mission, the organization's goal is to provide opportunities for building and developing community through the arts. Their programs, events and partnerships seek to build community among and between art students of all ages, professional and amateur artists, inner city and suburban residents, diehard art fans and first time art appreciators.

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Named in honor of John Dryden, the English poet laureate whose words inspired Baroque composers including Purcell and Handel, the Dryden Ensemble specializes in performing music of the 17th and 18th centuries on period instruments. A line from Dryden's Song to St. Cecilia captures the essence of baroque music and the ensemble's philosophy: "What Passion cannot Musick raise and quell!"

Visit the Dryden Ensemble website.

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Grounds For Sculpture is a 35-acre public sculpture park located in Hamilton. It was founded in 1992 on the site of the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds by J. Seward Johnson to promote an understanding of and appreciation for contemporary sculpture for all people. Visitors to the park can enjoy the outdoor permanent collection and indoor seasonal exhibitions, and learn about contemporary sculpture through a variety of educational programs including workshops for adults and children; artist residencies and lectures; tours for adults, schoolchildren, and toddlers; as well as touch tours for the blind. In addition, the park also offers various events, a 35-acre arboretum, shopping, and dining, including the high-rated fine dining destination known as Rat's Restaurant.

Visit the Grounds For Sculpture website.

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The mission of the Historical Society of Princeton is to collect and preserve materials pertaining to the town and its environs, and to interpret the history of the area through exhibitions, educational programs, and publications. Since its founding in 1938, the Historical Society has amassed, recorded, and exhibited a collection of over 40,000 artifacts, manuscripts, photographs, decorative arts objects, artworks, and articles of clothing dating from the 17th century to the present, and has offered a broad range of educational services and activities to local residents, students, scholars, and visitors from around the world.

Visit the Historical Society of Princeton website.

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The Hopewell Valley Historical Society was formed in 1975 by a group of citizens interested in preserving the heritage of Hopewell Valley. They are an independent, nonprofit organization of volunteers funded solely by membership.

* They collect and preserve items relating to Hopewell Valley.
* They encourage preservation of historic sites that connect their community to its past.
* They publish an award-winning newsletter four times a year that includes many well-researched articles about Hopewell Valley's history, interesting items from their collection, and news and events of the Society.
* They sponsor public meetings in the community several times a year on subjects relating to Hopewell Valley history, New Jersey history, and historic preservation. These programs are free and open to the general public.

Visit the Hopewell Valley Historical Society website.

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The history of Howell Farm is long and varied. Since farming began on this site in the 1730s, just about every type of farming situation has occurred there. The farm has evolved from a grain-producing farm to a dairy farm, and over the years various crops have been grown, animals raised, products produced, etc. The farm has gone through periods of family ownership and occupation, and absentee owner/tenant farmer occupation.

Today the farm exists in its rural setting as both an example of farming as it was practiced in New Jersey in the period 1890-1910 and as a landscape where one can find the remnants of over 250 years of farming practice and life.

Visit the Howell Living History Farm website.

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Morven Museum & Garden is administered by Historic Morven, Inc., a nonprofit organization founded in 1987, in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of State. The state acquired Morven in 1954. The mission of Historic Morven, Inc. is to "preserve and operate the National Historic Landmark known as Morven as a museum and public garden showcasing the cultural heritage of New Jersey."

The museum occupies the house called Morven, the former New Jersey Governor's Mansion and 18th century home of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Its restoration and conversion to a museum were completed in 2004. Located on two floors of the restored mansion, the museum's elegant galleries feature permanent and temporary exhibitions that explore the history and culture of New Jersey with a special focus on Morven.

Morven's historic garden includes a formal, grand lawn dotted with majestic trees, beds of heirloom annuals from the 18th and 19th centuries, and a re-creation of the Colonial Revival style garden that was planted at Morven in the early 20th century.

Visit the Morven Museum & Garden website.

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The Old Barracks serves as an educational center for Colonial and American history, and stands as the last remaining structure of its kind. The Old Barracks staff provides daily tours and interpretations of American colonial life. The building offers a museum of artifacts and weapons, as well as a gift shop.

Visit the Old Barracks Museum website.

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The Trenton Artists' Workshop Association Inc. (TAWA), is a nonprofit organization founded in 1979 by Latta Patterson and Dr. Mary Tatum Howard (and friends) to promote the arts in the greater Trenton Area. Since its inception, membership in this arts collective has grown to over 350 professional artists, art educators, art students, and patrons of the arts. TAWA served as a catalyst for several city festivals -- which brought together regional musicians, writers, and theater artists -- and assisted in the creation of the city's first professional theater.

Visit the Trenton Artists' Workshop Association (TAWA) website.

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The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion houses a fine collection of art and artifacts related to Trenton's historical and cultural past and present.

Visit the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion website.

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The Trenton Historical Society's mission is the study and interpretation of Trenton's history, preservation of its historic buildings and artifacts, and dissemination of information about New Jersey's capital city and its illustrious past.

Visit the Trenton Historical Society website.

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VOICES' mission is to deepen the public appreciation of vocal music by performing outstanding choral music at a high artistic level and by supporting the creation of new works.

VOICES was founded in 1987 to provide outstanding performances of new and classical music and to interest children in composing and singing. VOICES Chorale, an auditioned chorus with members from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, was founded in 1992 to provide outstanding performance opportunities for community singers. The Chorale performs an unusually varied repertoire, including choral masterworks and premieres by American composers.

Visit the VOICES Chorale website.

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The mission of the West Windsor Arts Council (WWAC) is to establish and manage the West Windsor Arts Center and provide professional quality community arts programming in order to support, educate, inspire, and promote the arts and art appreciation in the greater West Windsor community.

In addition to its mission, the WWAC has established the following guiding principles: WWAC programs will reflect high professional standards; high regard for cultural diversity; and equitable and fair payment for artists.

Visit the West Windsor Arts Center website.

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