The Trenton Arts Fund at the Princeton Area Community Foundation has awarded $29,550 in grants to seven local arts, culture and history nonprofits, in particular their programs that support Trenton’s young people.

“We are thrilled to help fund these arts organizations and programs in this city that means so much to us,” said John Hatch, who created the Trenton Arts Fund in 2018 with his husband, David Henderson.  “Trenton has a rich cultural history, and the arts are flourishing in Trenton. With this round of grants, we are supporting Trenton’s tradition of creativity, and especially programs that support our young residents.”

Grants were made at the recommendation of the Trenton Arts Fund Grants Committee, whose members are local residents with a background in the arts.

Grants, which are subject to final review, were awarded to these Trenton-based nonprofits:

  • Artworks Trenton Inc., $5,000 for its Youth Art League, an affordable after-school art-focused program for children who are 9- to 16-years-old. Classes on gardening, mixed media art, drawing, painting, anime, sound and media, yoga, cooking, paper mache and movement are taught with help from the organization’s teaching artists and through its partnership with Isles.
  • Capital Harmony Works, $2,500, to provide operating support for its ensemble music education program, which offers up to 15 hours of weekly programming, enhanced by students’ at-home practice time. As students rapidly development skills, they are inspired to continue to achieve, not only in music, but also in academics and personal goals.
  • New Jersey Capital Philharmonic, $5,000 to expand its Educational Outreach Program, which brings musicians into Trenton schools, provides students with discounted and free tickets to all performances, offers free concerts in Trenton parks, and offers pre-concert lectures before performances.
  • Passage Theatre Company, $5,000, to support educational programming for the 2022-23 season, Foundations for Our Future. The theater offers student matinees and in-class postscript sessions to educate students on the dramatic themes. Passage artists also teach theatrical classes in local schools, and the theater created a Studio School for teens, ages 16 and older, which includes affordable theater classes.
  • Trenton Circus Squad, $4,000, to provide operating support for the program, which offers after-school and summer classes, teaching circus skills to help young people foster personal, emotional and social development. The organization partners with more than 20 Trenton-area youth organizations to offer free programming for students.
  • Trenton Museum Society, $3,850, for its Trenton Forward: Youth and Arts Together program. The grant will allow the organization to purchase materials and supplies for its partnership with Trenton Public Schools and allow it to expand its Saturday family art and museum exploration programs.
  • Trenton United Family Foundation, Inc., $4,200 for its TUFF Digital Arts Program, a 10-week series of lectures and workshop for a group of city 8th and 9th grade students. Students will learn how to use photo editing and 3D graphic design skills.

The Trenton Arts Fund is one of more than 450 charitable funds of the Community Foundation. To learn more, visit https://pacf.org/trenton-arts-endowment/.