At 50-Year Mark, Monmouth Arts Looks To A More Inclusive Future

By Gloria Stravelli

RED BANK – Navigating the pandemic has required resilience and ingenuity from individuals and organizations. Monmouth Arts is no different. The county’s official arts advocate adapted and innovated to fulfill its mission of providing programs and services in support of the arts and the community throughout Monmouth County.

Having risen to the challenges of the global pandemic during 2021, Monmouth Arts is now looking ahead to changes that will broaden its scope and mission and refocus the organization as a vibrant, inclusive, multicultural arts community.

THRIVING DURING TROUBLING TIMES

“We had the pandemic and social upheaval,” said Teresa Staub, executive director, describing the impetus for change spurred by unprecedented events. According to Staub, she and a small team of staffers realized action was needed in order to continue to provide arts programming to the public, especially youths, during the shutdown imposed by the pandemic. “We have a lot of skills and people who were able to create programs so they could continue virtually,” said Staub, crediting staff of Monmouth Arts, which is marking a half-century as an arts advocate, incubator and presenter. “I’m really proud of our team because we had to start working remotely… and we were able to continue our arts programming and even created new programming,” she said. “We’re creative people and we were able to find ways to continue our mission.”

New virtual programs were created to continue outreach to young people, including “Chalk the Walk” and “Exquisitely Connected,” while major programming like “Signs of Hope” and the Teen Arts Festival were also presented virtually. A new video program, “Summer Showcase,” highlighted teens’ creative work online as well. “It wasn’t easy, but it was amazing how much we could do using virtual platforms to keep engaging the community,” said Staub, adding Monmouth Arts was being called upon to act as a hub for other resources as well. “A lot of people were looking to us for information on funding resources,” she said. “We had a host of information listed on our website, resources for members of the community. We would send e-blasts out to our email list about different activities people could do virtually or watch performances virtually. So the arts community, even though we were all hunkered down, found creative ways to keep sharing the arts. “2020 into 2021 showed us how vital the arts are,” she said. “You draw on your community.”

In addition to adapting because of the pandemic, Monmouth Arts needs to change on another level as well, noted Staub, who joined the organization in 2011. “We have to look now and see how we can reflect diversity,” she said. “We responded to the Black Lives Matter movement by forming an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee made up of staff members and we participated in various workshops run by the Dodge Foundation. “We needed to be educated. It was a wonderful workshop and we brought information we learned back to the board and staff members. “This work is going to be ongoing and is going to be reflected in our strategic plan and going forward we’re trying to incorporate how to change internally. Whether that is members of the board, staff members, programming, even our grant program. “Organizations that are presenting to diverse audiences certainly want to support that kind of work.”

According to Staub, who has had a career as a development director for several local arts organizations, there are multiple approaches to reaching this goal. “We can do it through staffing, through board members, the vendors we work with,” she said, “through funding. Next year we will be giving out $100,000. We will do more regranting.” Staub revealed that growth beyond Red Bank is also planned for the future. “Monmouth Arts is going to expand. I think we’ve had this wonderful space at Count Basie Center for the Arts. I see us growing. What that means is maybe a new office space or gallery space. We’ve been growing by leaps and bounds programming-wise and I think that we will grow within the community to have another office, whether that means in Asbury Park or another area,” she said. Staub also noted that the kinds of art the group supports needs to expand as well. “Our reach has been very focused on visual arts,” she noted.

The goal now is to include more performing artists like musicians, rock bands and even comedians, Staub said, who noted how those artists really suffered during the pandemic when they couldn’t perform. “I want them to know they can lean on us, too,” she said. But that isn’t all. “I really would like us to be known as supporting all forms of the arts, not just visual arts and performing arts, but other art forms,” she said. “The sky’s the limit.”

A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE

Monmouth Arts has its roots in the Junior League of Monmouth County. According to a history compiled for the 50th anniversary by Alice Berman, president of the board of trustees from 1999-2006, the creation of a county arts council is credited to the Junior League, which had a Community Arts committee. In 1968, the committee undertook a two-year study to determine the county’s arts resources and needs. Two years later, the league formed a steering committee to coordinate the formation of the Monmouth County Arts Council with a focus on supporting the arts. Incorporation of the arts council was completed in 1971. Although supportive, the county freeholders declined to fund the council in the 1971 budget, according to the history. Brookdale Community College then offered help with organizing and finding funding and the arts council offices were opened on campus. Initially there were 21 charter member groups.

With an influx of money in 1973, Monmouth Arts purchased what was then Walter Reade’s Carlton Theatre, subsequently renamed the Count Basie Theatre. Staub’s predecessor, Mary Eileen Fouratt, was executive director of the Monmouth Arts from 1997 to 2016. Currently program director for the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, she said splitting Monmouth Arts from the Count Basie Theatre in 1999 was a turning point for both organizations. “That was really critical because it had been very difficult for the organization (Monmouth Arts) to try to serve both a larger arts community and restore and run the Count Basie Theatre. I think the proof is in the pudding that it worked out beautifully for both organizations,” Fouratt said. “Monmouth Arts was able to meet more of their mission to work with artists and arts groups and arts teachers throughout the county. To strengthen the ecosystem of the arts field, which was difficult to do while you’re also worrying about the roof leaking.

“That separation, even though it was kind of scary for both organizations, really set Monmouth Arts up for a trajectory of growth and better serving the community. “And now the Count Basie is such a huge part of the regional community, their educational programs, the theater’s new space, it’s become a home to many of the smaller organizations, which is really wonderful,” Fouratt said. In addition, the arts council brought funding into the community in the form of local arts program grants through the state arts council. “At our peak we were giving out $200,000 a year, almost always at least $100,000,” she said. “It also became a place where artists and arts groups could get together and network, meet each other, talk to each other,” she said. “Whether sharing information about spaces or sources or collaborating, the arts community should be able to get together.” Fouratt revealed that for fiscal year 2022, the state arts council announced it has tripled its investment in county arts agencies because the partnership is so critical. “That just speaks to the importance of the county agency reaching those smaller grassroots organizations that

The article originally appeared in the December 9 – 15, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.