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One of the most diverse states in the country, New Jersey is home to an amazing array of traditional artists, each a keeper of an age-old art form. Last year, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts honored ten of these artists as the inaugural cohort of New Jersey Heritage Fellows. On Wednesday, October 16, the Emmy Award-winning television series State of the Arts will debut its two-part series on the Heritage Fellows on NJ PBS.
The first episode focuses on five of the Fellows: Kathy DeAngelo, an Irish fiddler and harper; Mary May, a traditional South Jersey basket-maker; Valerie Vaughn, who sings tales of the Pinelands and the Shore; Ylvia Asal, who makes “Oya” lace in honor of her Anatolian heritage; and Nelson Baez, a master of Puerto Rican Bomba who works to pass the music on to the next generation.
“For these artists to be featured by State of the Arts fills me with pride for our state,” said Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way. “These ten New Jersey Heritage Fellows first made news as the first cohort of this innovative grant program from the State Arts Council. Now, these artists – and the traditions, histories, and communities they represent – are getting even more much-deserved recognition in this series that delves into their practices and illuminate their lives. Within our state is a multitude of cultures, and in these episodes you’ll see traditional Puerto Rican, Anatolian, Irish, Afro-Peruvian, Korean, as well as traditional New Jerseyan art forms – and many more.”
Long-time Series Producer Susan Wallner remarked: "During our months-long production, State of the Arts producers and camera crews spent a lot of time with the Heritage Fellows. In the process, we saw firsthand the impressive richness of our state’s diverse cultural heritage. From a community center in Perth Amboy to an oyster shack in Tuckerton, from Koreatown in Palisades Park to the Lacey Township Schoolhouse Museum, we found artists dedicated to carrying on their cultural traditions, and sharing their skills and knowledge with others. What they do is important, and precious."
The New Jersey Heritage Fellows were announced at the New Jersey State Council on the Arts’ 2023 Annual Meeting in Trenton. These fellowships recognize artistic excellence, lifetime achievement, and contributions to New Jersey’s traditional arts heritage.
“The State Arts Council has prioritized supporting folk and traditional arts for decades, and, with the New Jersey Heritage Fellowship grants, we were able to further elevate artists who are keeping these invaluable art forms alive,” said Allison Tratner, Executive Director of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. “These artists not only uplift and honor their communities, but also the State of New Jersey. We are not only enriched by these artists and their work, but also made more whole.”
The State Arts Council is a co-producer of State of the Arts with Stockton University, in cooperation with PCK Media. For over forty years, State of the Arts has faithfully chronicled the cultural life of New Jersey. In addition to being one of the longest running arts programs in the nation, it is also one of the most honored, winning over 30 New York and Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards. This special series on the New Jersey Heritage Fellows was created to put a spotlight on the living folk arts of the Garden State.
“Stockton University is thrilled to partner with PCK Media to produce this wonderful series celebrating not just New Jersey artists, but also New Jersey art,” said Ian Marshall, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at Stockton University. “At this moment of seemingly chasmic divides, I believe that art can show us the very best of humanity by offering both hope and community. The artists in this first class of New Jersey Heritage Fellows bridge racial, gender, ethnic, and class lines. They are a true reflection of New Jersey's diversity and artistic excellence. I couldn't be more grateful to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for demonstrating the vision to create this initiative, and I couldn’t be more excited at the prospect of seeing it grow.”
Watch the preview for Part 1 of the New Jersey Heritage Fellows series here:
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