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Did you know?
Did you know we’ve been part of the Atlantic City community since 2015?🎉
What started as a way to activate our community through the arts and create opportunities for local artists has grown into a movement to promote the arts throughout Atlantic City!
ARTeriors at 121 S. Tennessee Ave in September 2015
Our first-ever event was ARTeriors at 121 S. Tennessee Avenue, later home to MADE Atlantic City Chocolate and currently Bar 32 Chocolate. At its core, the ARTeriors program is about transition and transformation. ARTeriors has transformed spaces in transition at The Walk, Showboat Atlantic City, & the Orange Loop to name a few!
Close up of “Trail Her Trash” by Billy Joe Michel. ARTeriors Showboat, April 2019.
Chalk About AC, a colorful, interactive celebration of the city has been going strong since our start with support from local businesses and organizations. In 2019, we even partnered with the ACFD for Fire Safety Month and AC Marathon to host a mini color run in O’Donnell Park! Last year volunteers helped us make over 1400 chalk packets that were available at food distribution sites, the Boys and Girls Club, and local businesses so folks could Chalk About AC from home.
Community members participate in the 2019 Chalk About AC Mini Color Run!
Chalk packets at food distribution site in 2020
Of course, we cannot forget about 48 Blocks Atlantic City! Our flagship program was launched in 2017 through a partnership with Stockton University. Since then, hundreds of local artists and community members have participated in the planning and creation of projects for this annual event, supported by local businesses and organizations. In 2020 we went virtual, presenting projects via Zoom. 48 Blocks AC is also home to our Adirondack chair project, annually offering participants the opportunity to design a unique chair to be displayed on the iconic Atlantic City Boardwalk and in our beautiful public parks, all thanks to SID of CRDA!
Perhaps most notably, we launched Atlantic City’s largest mural arts program through 48 Blocks AC, supporting the creation of over 50 murals to date! In 2018, we hosted AC’s first-ever Mural Week and got to watch as 6 artists transformed 5 walls in just 7 days. At this point, it’s hard to drive through the city without noticing at least one mural. You may have strolled down the unofficial “Mural Avenue”, better known as Sovereign Ave, home to 6 murals and Skate AC. There is even a mural inside City Hall, made possible through a partnership with the City of Atlantic City!
And yes — there are more murals to come throughout our bustling city by the sea!
BK Foxx works on her mural during Mural Week, 2019.
Not For Sale, BK Foxx, 2019.
We’re excited to launch new projects in 2021, continue our core programming & expand artist opportunities, and host in-person events for the community (when we are safely able). Watch this space!
GET INVOLVED:
Welcome to Mural Writing AC!
In an effort to bring 48 Blocks Atlantic City to the community in the summer of 2020, members of the South Jersey Poets Collective penned writing prompts for the Atlantic City Arts Foundation Murals. These writing prompts are inspired by the mural they accompany, and we hope they inspire you to write something of your own, in a notebook or on your cellphone.
Care to share your creation? Post on social media and tag @acartsfoundation #MuralWritingAC.
Writing Prompts:
“Recycled Reef” by Robert Rossiello
Atlantic Cape Community College – Worthington Campus
Spend some time looking at the many creatures in Robert Rossiello's “Recycled Reef.” Observe how seamlessly Rossiello has integrated the discarded material, how plastic, metal, glass, and other elements give shape to the sea life. Now, think about the various materials and products that shape your existence and environment. Write about how these things reflect the rich diversity of your own life and how they connect you to others.
“Gà” by Mark Chu
Com Gà Ninh Kieu, 1124 Atlantic Avenue
Gà is Vietnamese for chicken, which Mark Chu learned when he translated the name of the restaurant’s wall he painted. Chickens often get a bad rap: when someone is afraid, others might call them “chicken;” messy handwriting is dubbed “chicken scratch;” and “to lay an egg” is to perform poorly. However, chickens are incredibly social and cooperative creatures, and they take care of their own. Write a poem or story in praise of the “chickens” in your life. Who makes sure everyone else is fed? Who tends the flock?
“Find Your Way” by Bernie McCabe
14 S. Tennessee Ave.
Bernie McCabe’s mural “Find Your Way” reminds us that “life is a maze.” Think about your own starting point. Think about how many times you’ve been turned around or when the way revealed itself to you. Write a poem or story that details the maze(s) of your life, and if you’re up for a challenge, write it as a series of instructions. For example: Begin in the hospital on Pacific Avenue, the one that shares a parking lot with Caesars. Follow the sidewalk to Grandma’s kitchen and the stuffed bear you named Benjamin….
“Bright Skies” by Manuela Guillén
Sovereign & Arctic Aves
What brightens your sky? Positive affirmations bloom in the vibrant landscape of Manuela Guillén’s “Bright Skies.” Spend some time with the images and text in the mural. Which speak to you? Write a poem or story that uses one of the affirmations as a springboard into your piece.
“Rincón Garden” by Amor Bautista
El Rincón Del Sabor, 2501 Pacific Ave
Amor Bautista’s “Rincón Garden” features sunflowers and butterflies. In various traditions and lore, the former often symbolize longevity and loyalty, while the latter represent transformation. As you have grown and changed, to what have you remained loyal? Write about your own journey from caterpillar to gorgeous winged thing and what has been a constant for you.
“Greetings from Bungalow Park” by Glenn Taylor
Kay-Vil Construction, 342 N. New Jersey Ave
Glenn Taylor’s “Greetings from Bungalow Park” riffs off iconic postcards from the 1930s-50s, which often depicted an optimistic view of the featured town or landmark. Spend some time with the images here. Does one of them speak to you? If so, write a poem or story that features this place. If not, what images of Bungalow Park are missing from these cards? Write a poem or story that features a place not typically printed on postcards.
“Memory” by Kelley Prevard
Atlantic Cape Community College – Worthington Campus
Spend some time looking at all four panels of Kelley Prevard’s “Memory.” Consider the movement of the one woman’s hand, burdened with colorful traditional bracelets, as if the depth of history approaches the present in her red-lipped mouth. Observe the couple holding each other with tenderness and intimacy, hands gently intertwined. Then, look at the girl’s expression contrasted with the bright orange around her. Each of these images are the “everyday people” referenced in the fourth panel. Who do you carry in your memory? Write about a fleeting moment, an awakening, or a memory of deep love.
“Dissent is Patriotic” by Sarah Painter & Cosby Hayes
164 St. James Place
Sarah Painter and Cosby Hayes’ mural “Dissent is Patriotic” encourages passersby to look and think beyond what is presented on the surface. The woman, wrapped in the flag of the United States, wears a pensive expression and a creased brow. The oversized conch in her hand cradles an image of Atlantic City. Who is this woman and what has she been through? What does she symbolize to you? How does this image reflect both “dissent” and “patriotism?”
“Not For Sale” by BK Foxx
Bullshots Bar, 2303 Pacific Ave
Look at the confident and defiant expression on the woman featured in BK Foxx’s mural “Not for Sale.” Despite being offered a blank check, she is unwilling to sell whatever has been requested. What in your life is non-negotiable or worth more than any sum of money? Is it family? Faith? Honesty? Brainstorm your own list of what is “not for sale” and write about one or more of these personal treasures.
“Elephants” by Edwin Rivera
Sunset & Texas Aves
Female elephants spend their lives in close-knit communities, led by a matriarch, who is usually the oldest female. Edwin Rivera’s mural “Elephants” features a family of elephants. Think about your own family dynamics. Is there one or more important matriarch-figures? Who is she? How has she guided your family? Write a poem or story that celebrates the strong women in your family.
“Pacific Garden” by Shari Tobias
2518 Pacific Avenue
Shari Tobias’s mural “Pacific Garden” features one corner of the Monopoly board. How do the boardgame’s landmarks reflect the Atlantic City you know? Pacific is also the name of an important ocean on the other side of the USA. Consider writing a poem or story of opposites, perhaps comparing and contrasting Atlantic City with its West Coast counterpart. Also, “pacific” can be an adjective meaning peaceful. What is peaceful about this mural? How does Pacific Ave. live up to this definition?
“New Second Line” by Christian Correa & Leah Morgan
Bourré, 201 S. New York Ave
Christian Correa and Leah Morgan’s mural “New Second Line” memorizes the infamous brass band and Atlantic City’s active jazz scene. Whether Dixieland, swing, bebop, ethno, funky or free form, jazz lets musicians express themselves in many dimensions. Write a poem or story about any subject that shows how you can connect in many dimensions and styles, too. For example, a hip-hop haiku or a ballad poem in the form of a song. How about “The Ballad of the Jersey Devil” or a blues poem about Chicken Bone Beach?
“Close Encounters” by Charles Barbin
7 S. South Carolina Ave
Charles Barbin’s mural “Close Encounters” reminds viewers that jellyfish are so beautiful and delicate looking, though their sting is painful. Barbin notes they’re “pretty dangerous things.” Write a poem, a fairy tale, or a short story about an encounter you have experienced with something that was pretty but turned out to be harmful. That “thing” or “things” can be animate (like an animal, insect or bird) or an inanimate object. Perhaps you can use humor and create a cartoon strip from that unforgettable experience.
“Jazzed” by Casey B
Kelsey’s, 1545 Pacific Ave
Casey B’s mural “Jazzed” uses only simple lines and 3 colors: black, white and two shades of blue. Yet, doesn’t the image get you into a particular groove? Or mood? Come on, dig further in. Listen. What can you hear? What is it telling you, making you feel? Write a poem or compose a song that has repetition. The challenge: use simple words, colors, sounds, images, details that ‘play’ again and again. With variations. Improvisation. Rhythm. Soul. In other words: get JAZZED.
“Culprit City” by 4sakn with The Culprits
Gem Liquor Store, 1737 Atlantic Ave
In the land of the pursuers and unwanted, we see that this vivid canvas “Culprit City” by 4sakn with The Culprits emphasizes the difference between being seen, being wanted or being overlooked. Even hanging in the background, we become hidden behind the shadows of others. Write about moments where you have felt the shadows of other people, places, or things that have hidden your shine.
“Study in Interconnectivity” by Luv One
125 S. Texas Avenue
Write a poem or story about what you see when you look “into” Luv One’s “Study in Interconnectivity.” Do the shapes look like they represent more than one thing? Can a dolphin be a shark? Can a hand be a fork? Can a farmer be a soldier? Is that a horn or a bike rim? Both, neither? Are the forms disparate or interconnected? Does the painting tell a story? What are your favorite colors? What are your least favorite? Do the shapes remind you of humans, animals, or objects? What emotions do you feel when you look at the painting? Does it spark any memories? Does it make you look to the past or to the future? Do you see chaos or tranquility? Do you see singing, dancing, flying, swimming, strength, hope?
“Oystercatchers” by Felipe Ortiz
Rodeway Inn Oceanview, Sovereign Ave
Felipe Ortiz’s “Oystercatchers” is a big, bright, colorful mural. It’s full of energy and drama. Write a poem or an adventure story with these oystercatchers as characters. Give them names and personalities. Create an action-filled story, either starting or ending with this scene.
Administrative Assistant
This position has been filled
The Atlantic City Arts Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit located in Atlantic City, NJ, seeks a part-time administrative assistant. Responsibilities include both general operations as well as program support.
The Administrative Assistant reports to the Executive Director, and is responsible for varied aspects of organizational operations as well as program details.
Duties will include but not be limited to:
General administrative support to the executive director
Basic bookkeeping – oversee and maintain project budgets, manage invoices and purchase orders, prepare bank deposits, and similar duties
Basic communications – answer general correspondence, letter writing, monitor social media, assist in preparing, distributing, and assembling data received in call for artists, and similar duties
Maintain organizational files and documents
Serving as a point of contact for the organization
Program and event coordination
Other duties as assigned by executive director
Candidates should be:
Committed to the mission of the organization
Able to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing
Highly dependable and team oriented
Detail oriented; able to set and meet deadlines
Sensitive to the need for confidentiality
Able to work independently, and able to effectively manage & prioritize multiple tasks
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.)
Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree preferred; nonprofit experience a plus.
Schedule: 25 hour per week; flexible schedule. Some occasional weekend hours.
Location: Atlantic City, NJ. Currently, the role is remote and will shift to a mix of remote and in-person work based on state & local public health guidelines.
Compensation: Starting wage is $16.00 per hour.
To apply
Email 1) your current resume and 2) a letter of interest (no more than two pages) describing your interest in the position, as well as the skills and experiences relevant to the position.
Applications will only be accepted via email to Joyce Hagen, Executive Director at joyce@atlanticcityartsfoundation.org.
Application Deadline: March 10, 2021.
Screening of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled or the deadline is reached, whichever is sooner.
This position has been filled
The Atlantic City Arts Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit located in Atlantic City, NJ, seeks a part-time administrative assistant. Responsibilities include both general operations as well as program support.
Our Mission
The Atlantic City Arts Foundation exists to foster an environment in which diverse arts and cultural programs enrich the quality of life for residents of and visitors to Atlantic City.
The Administrative Assistant reports to the Executive Director, and is responsible for varied aspects of organizational operations as well as program details.
Duties will include but not be limited to:
General administrative support to the executive director
Basic bookkeeping – oversee and maintain project budgets, manage invoices and purchase orders, prepare bank deposits, and similar duties
Basic communications – answer general correspondence, letter writing, monitor social media, assist in preparing, distributing, and assembling data received in call for artists, and similar duties
Maintain organizational files and documents
Serving as a point of contact for the organization
Program and event coordination
Other duties as assigned by executive director
Candidates should be:
Committed to the mission of the organization
Able to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing
Highly dependable and team oriented
Detail oriented; able to set and meet deadlines
Sensitive to the need for confidentiality
Able to work independently, and able to effectively manage & prioritize multiple tasks
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.)
Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree preferred; nonprofit experience a plus.
Schedule: 25 hour per week; flexible schedule. Some occasional weekend hours.
Location: Atlantic City, NJ. Currently, the role is remote and will shift to a mix of remote and in-person work based on state & local public health guidelines.
Compensation: Starting wage is $16.00 per hour.
To apply
Email 1) your current resume and 2) a letter of interest (no more than two pages) describing your interest in the position, as well as the skills and experiences relevant to the position.
Applications will only be accepted via email to Joyce Hagen, Executive Director at joyce@atlanticcityartsfoundation.org.
Application Deadline: March 10, 2021.
Screening of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled or the deadline is reached, whichever is sooner.
The Atlantic City Arts Foundation, is a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit located in Atlantic City, NJ.
2020: A Year to Remember
2020 was a year to remember. We hope that you and yours are safe and healthy and that part of what you remember is the AC Arts Foundation supported artists and produced arts events all year long.
Focus On Community
On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day we partnered with Atlantic Cape Community College to host “What do you dream for Atlantic City?” Over 100 community members joined, sharing their dreams and cultivating a sense of hope for our city.
Healing and Pride Through Mural Art
Art is a great comfort in dicult times. We hired a muralist to paint a COVID-themed mural, “Personal Space” to uplift our community. It was the first of six 2020 murals – including one on a basketball court in Venice Park, a block-long “Black Lives Matter” mural on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., one near the Sovereign Ave. Boys and Girls Club featuring youth from the club and a mural at the corner of Atlantic Ave. and Dr. MLK, Jr. Blvd. of Madame Sara Spencer Washington, an Atlantic City entrepreneur and philanthropist, serving as an inspiration and a source of pride for residents.
48 Blocks AC Goes Virtual
In a Herculean effort, our annual “48 Blocks AC” celebration moved online. ACAF volunteers and a team of Stockton University production specialists worked with our community of over 60 artists to produce the event. “48 Blocks AC” 2020 spanned an August weekend full of virtual studio and mural tours, performances by dancers, musicians, and poets, full-length theater performances, and demos and workshops ranging from doll making to juggling! Over 4000 virtual audience members joined us for a weekend of live & recorded events.
In September we gathered together to unveil this year’s collection of 11 artist-designed Adirondack chairs, installed at O’Donnell Park.
“Safari Theater,” an innovative drive-thru live theater event engaging 21 performing, literary, and visual artists, was produced in November. In December, we're producing and airing a reprise of an original, one-person, full-length play entitled “Yo! Eleven,” a collection of 11 Atlantic City personalities brought lovingly to the stage.
Chalk About AC Spans The City
We revamped Chalk About AC to ensure safety, inviting the community to spread their creativity throughout our city. Volunteers assembled 1400 sidewalk chalk packets to distribute at the October food distribution at Bader Field, as well as at nine additional community sites.
The board and staff of ACAF worked together with several partner agencies this year to create these successes that kept the arts alive in Atlantic City and supported 95 local artists.
We thank you for your continuing support, and we extend our good wishes for a happy, safe, and healthy 2021 to all!
Help Us Continue This Work in 2021
End of An Era - Spiral Eye
Title: End of An Era
Artist: Spiral Eye
The inspiration behind my chair is a past era of the music scene in Atlantic City. I created an homage to two music venues that were the center of it all. The Boneyard and La Grand Fromage were two small venues that gave people a platform to have their voices heard. From small open mic nights to some big names in punk, these venues were ones I visited frequently and ones that others and I surely miss. My experience working on the chair was a challenge but one that I was eager to accomplish. I would spend my afternoons coming home from work, working on the design, and spending long hours in the sun. It was a struggle but I enjoyed every moment of it and I’m proud of the outcome! Atlantic City-based artist Jorge Azcona operates under the artist name Spiral Eye with the motto of "True. Counter. Culture."
Do It Afraid – Lyntaga Smith
Title: Do It Afraid
Artist: Lyntaga Smith
I'm a local sea glass jewelry artist in Atlantic City. This was my first time ever doing a project like this and to be honest, I was afraid when my design was accepted but what I knew to be true is that my love and passion for sea glassing is my motivation and inspiration. I'm very happy with my 1st chair and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did creating it. You can follow my work on Instagram @seameglow.
Photos Courtesy of Alex Mazzo
The Rest – Randi Meekins
Ttitle: The Rest
Artist: Randi Meekins
This chair is inspired by a song that I enjoy. I love music and I love the message. To me, “free your mind and the rest will follow” has two meanings; let go (free your mind) and soon to follow is the happiness you’re searching for OR free your mind of clutter and you’ll finally be able to rest. So I thought that was a great way to say, “take a load off (rest) and clear your head in my chair!” I did the line work with cigarette butts and it took me about 14 hours and a pack of cigarettes to create the chair.
Photos Courtesy of Alex Mazzo
Birds of a Feather - Drips ArtxFashion
Title: Birds of a Feather
Artist: Drips ArtxFashion
A character we developed back in 2017 that is a basic representation of the different individuals that reside in Atlantic City inspired this chair. The idea was to just be free and have fun and also create something that appealed to the natives of the town.
Photos Courtesy of Alex Mazzo
Ice Cream Delight – The Santoro Family
Title: Ice Cream Delight
Artists: The Santoro Family
We wanted to highlight some common summertime beach treats that both children and adults have enjoyed at the shore for generations, recalling memories of fun summer times spent on area beaches with family and friends from the observer’s life. Stencil design by Brittany Santoro and stencils created by Heidi Manning and applied by the Santoro’s.
48 Blocks – Joani George
Title: 48 Blocks
Artist: Joani George
I enjoy doing crossword puzzles and the idea came to me to do a chair with a crossword puzzle representing Atlantic City. Since it is a part of the 48 Blocks AC program I knew it had to include 48 blocks. I am not a professional artist but I like to dabble in various creative pursuits. As I began painting the chair I made a few changes to my original concept until I finally felt it was "complete."
Photos Courtesy of Loryn L. Simonsen