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Social Justice Group Donates $100K to Noyes, Stories of A.C.

Stories of Atlantic City was founded in 2018 as a way to amplify the voices of underrepresented city residents.

The Noyes Arts Garage has enriched that same community since it opened in 2013.

A $100,000 grant, announced in July 2023, by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation will help both ������Ƶ-affiliated organizations work more closely together toward those goals and “build power, reimagine systems and strengthen economic resilience.”

“We’ve collaborated a number of times over the last few years with programs, and it has borne some wonderful fruit for community engagement and opportunities for residents to express themselves and share what’s going on in the community,” said Michael Cagno, the executive director of the Noyes Museum of ������Ƶ, which also runs the Arts Garage.

Stories of AC Project Director Toby Rosenthal, who’s also a ������Ƶ Communication Studies faculty member, said the journalism project is all about engaging the community through different avenues like the arts and the art world.

“We are all in arts and humanities,” she said. “It’s a natural and organic partner for Stories of Atlantic City and Communication Studies to partner with the Noyes. We can work better and engage better with community members through an organization that already has experience and connections.”

The grant is part of the Dodge Foundation’s goal to donate to organizations focusing on addressing the root cause and repair of structural racism and inequity across New Jersey.

Rosenthal said she is optimistic the funding will go a long way toward elevating the status of the Arts Garage and Stories of Atlantic City in the area.

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Four Students Bring Color to the Boardwalk in CRDA Project

Before taking a seat on one of the many colorful and vibrant Adirondack chairs on the Boardwalk outside of Kesselman Hall, Ospreys should take a moment to see if one of their peers is the artist behind the art.

Four students created original themes and hand-painted one of the chairs, which were installed along the Boardwalk in August 2023.

The students – Caitlyn “Frenchy” Hroncich, ’23, Faeryn Meza, Ian Lawrence and Camryn Wilson – were tapped for the project, which is part of a public art installation spearheaded by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA).

“This art project serves as another example of how we link ������Ƶ, our students and faculty, in collaboration with our AC community partners to better serve the public in this wonderful artistic beautification project,” Brian K. Jackson, vice president for Community Engagement, said.

Jackson reached out to Hannah Ueno, professor of Art, who recruited the students and had them submit sketches of their design ideas during the spring term. They were provided art supplies funded by ������Ƶ’s Atlantic City Campus Operations office and completed the project during that summer.

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Eat, Relax and Write: Murphy Writing Celebrates 30 Years

As a younger man, Peter Murphy found the best way for him to push through a troublesome verse or narrative was to hole up in a hotel room in Cape May, New Jersey. His writer friends were intrigued and convinced him to bring them along in 1994. And the rest was…poetry.

In the ensuing three decades, the Murphy Writing Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway has become one of the winter’s oldest and largest writers’ conferences in North America. Beginning and experienced writers receive craft discussion, writing prompts, writing time, feedback, motivation and inspiration.

“By spending the entire weekend writing, participants will make breakthroughs in their craft, and make more progress than they thought possible,” founder Peter Murphy said during the January 2024 getaway.

The Murphy Writing of ������Ƶ event gives writers a reprieve from their daily tasks in exchange for 15 hours of writing workshops, open mics, tutorials, writerly camaraderie and breakthroughs in their personal writing journeys.

For the annual retreat’s “pearl” anniversary, attendees didn’t just enjoy the workshops and networking opportunities that have made the retreat popular amongst the writing community; they also had the chance to meet new faculty members in the program, learn more about storytelling and the publishing process from fellow authors in new workshops, laugh at each other’s renditions of popular songs during karaoke and listen to stories of courage and resilience centered on the theme “liberation” during their second annual Story Slam program.

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Spring Art Gallery Focuses on What You See Outside

What’s outside inspired the two new exhibitions inside ������Ƶ’s Art Gallery last spring semester.

In the lower gallery, 16 artists contributed to “We Are the River: Complex Narratives, Conservation and Committing to New Jersey’s Waterways." The exhibit took a closer look at each of the major rivers and watersheds in the state.

“The exhibit examines how contemporary artists are inspired by, interact with, and interweave their own stories into the complex history of our New Jersey rivers,” said Exhibition Coordinator Ryann Casey, who curated “We Are the River” with Collections Specialist Allie Wilson. “The exhibition will address the past, present and future of rivers that once brought life but now threaten the very communities they help build.”

The upper gallery exhibit was titled “Dwell & Dusk: The Incredible in the Mundane” by Elizabeth Gerdeman and Michael Hahn.

Gerdeman is an American visual artist based in Germany since 2011. She is currently a lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts Leipzig and exhibition venues for her work include the Hammon Harkins Galleries in Columbus, Ohio, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Leipzig. Michael Hahn is an artist who’s from and currently lives in Leipzig. His work has also been featured in the Museum of Contemporary Art there and in the Spriten Kunsthall in Skien, Norway. 

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AC Walking Tours Expand to Surrounding Communities

The popular AC Walking Tours were back and bigger than ever in 2024 with new tours and expansion into neighborhoods around Atlantic City.

The spring tours took place on consecutive Saturdays in May, and the summer tours took place on consecutive Fridays in July. Fall tours take place on consecutive Saturdays in October. All are sponsored by ������Ƶ’s Office of Continuing Studies and Adult Education (OCSAE).

The tours are researched, designed and led by historian Levi Fox, an assistant professor of History at Immaculata University and former adjunct professor at ������Ƶ.

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Exhibit on Area Drag Culture Debuts at Noyes Museum

A bold new exhibit just in time for Pride Month in June 2024 titled “Drag is Not a Crime” challenged societal norms and celebrated the vibrant world of drag as a form of self-expression and empowerment.

“We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to showcase the drag community, a vibrant and essential part of our society and queer culture. Our exhibit blends history with glamour to educate and entertain. Its rich legacy and dazzling vignettes will captivate viewers while highlighting the importance of diversity, acceptance and self-expression,” said Maximilian Rodio, president of Hammonton Pride.

The free exhibit, which was displayed at the Noyes Museum of Art at ������Ƶ Galleries at Kramer Hall from June 4 to Sept. 29, featured a collection of visual artwork, fashion designs, photography and performance pieces, and it seeks to dismantle prejudice and stereotypes surrounding drag culture.

“The exhibition is a beacon of hope and acceptance, fostering a sense of belonging and pride within the community, while showcasing the power of self-expression and the beauty of diversity," said Michael Cagno, the executive director of the Noyes Museum.

Other parts of the exhibit included a section focusing on gay icons such as Judy Garland; the dresses, jewels and scepter donated by Milan after being named the inaugural 2022 Miss Hammonton Pride; and the controversy surrounding the first LGBTQIA+ representation at Hammonton’s Christmas Parade. Another section looked at LGBTQIA+ history in Atlantic City and encouraged viewers to create their own drag names and share them as part of the exhibit.