Hey New Jerseyans (and those who just want to pretend) Support ArtPride NJ

If you don't know my darling friend Roxie, you should. She is a freelance costume designer for numerous New Jersey theatres and works at The Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts and The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. She told me today that the State of New Jersey announced that it was freezing the 10 million dollars that it promised to arts organizations for this fiscal year. This includes at least two of her many employers, both of whom are now short over $150,000 – money that is needed to literally just keep the lights on (well, and to pay her…). This money comes from the hotel tax which was set up specifically to provide arts grants and which has been used illegally for other state projects for some time now (so imagine her surprise when it was announced that there is no more money for the arts).

Now, NJ Art Pride has set up a quick form letter to send to state officials asking to reconsider the freeze. The dearth of money may mean the end of these organizations, which would be financially devastating to my whole community. So, if you have a moment today, as somebody who has attended performances in New Jersey and as a favor to my dear friend Roxie, I would so very much appreciate if you wanted to pretend to be a New Jerseyan and help all of us bury our officials in letters.

Thanks, thanks, and ever thanks (hey! That’s from a play!) from the bottom of Roxie's poor, non-profit heart!

Here's what you need to do as a member or supporter of any arts organization effected by this freeze:

1) Visit www.artpridenj.com

2) When the homepage comes up, please click on the flashing box on the left top that says Action Alert and has stars on it (red, white and blue).

3) It will prompt you for a zip code, so please enter your home zip code (here's one if you need a Jersey zip - 07042).

4) Then you will select the top item called, "state funding freeze impact on cultural community."

This will automatically create several emails that will be written on your behalf to state officials.

5) All you need to do is to enter your name after the word Sincerely and then enter your address (if you need a Jersey address, email me and I'll give you one) and email address and then click on the box that has an automatic check mark that would put you on their mailing list and this will remove the check mark so that you are not signing up for anything at all and simply sending emails to the state officials.

6) Then click send.

Your message will be sent to Governor Corzine AND your local legislative district.