---
title: We need to ensure the survival of arts and culture in N.J. despite this pandemic
description: We need to ensure the survival of arts and culture in N.J. despite this pandemic
image: https://blog.gruninfoundation.org/hubfs/Blog/Images/blog--njacrf-op-ed.png
---
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December 29th, 2020 | [Post](https://blog.gruninfoundation.org/tag/post), [State of the Foundation](https://blog.gruninfoundation.org/tag/state-of-the-foundation), [Grunin News](https://blog.gruninfoundation.org/tag/grunin-news)
# We need to ensure the survival of arts and culture in N.J. despite this pandemic
**by [kelly Fliller](https://blog.gruninfoundation.org/author/kelly)**
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[Click to read the opinion article by Jeremy Grunin and Sharnita Johnson, published by NJ.com.](https://www.nj.com/opinion/2020/12/we-need-to-ensure-the-survival-of-arts-and-culture-in-nj-despite-this-pandemic-opinion.html)
The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on every single aspect of life as we knew it. The impacts to health, lives, jobs and businesses are obvious and devastating.
COVID-19 has also impacted other areas of life that may not be quite as obvious, such as the arts. While we know theaters have temporarily closed and many have lost their jobs, we may not realize that if we lost the arts, cultural and historical sector entirely, this will devastate our communities, educational systems, mental health and economy.
The New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund was created to help ensure the survival of the state’s arts, cultural and historical sector during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Co-Chaired by Jeremy Grunin, President of the Grunin Foundation, and Sharnita Johnson, Arts Program Director of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the fund is growing and will provide grants directly to nonprofit organizations and, indirectly through an intermediary partner(s), to artists and sector workers negatively impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
[Click to read the more on the fund and how Jeremy's and Sharnita's lives were impacted by the arts, leading them to help with creating the NJACRF.](https://www.nj.com/opinion/2020/12/we-need-to-ensure-the-survival-of-arts-and-culture-in-nj-despite-this-pandemic-opinion.html)
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