State of the Arts is a half-hour arts magazine that goes on location with creative personalities and productions. Produced by NJN Public Television, the show has earned 28 Mid-Atlantic and New York Emmys among numerous other awards, and is recognized as one of the outstanding arts programs in the country. State of the Arts celebrated 25 years on the air in 2007 with a series of 30 second spots, one for each season (view here).
For anyone interested in the creative life, State of the Arts is an oasis, featuring writers, dancers, architects, musicians, and artists who rarely if ever show up on television. Major names are found on every show, but emerging artists are given equal time and thought. The show aims to bring a greater awareness of the cultural scene in and around New Jersey. Each episode features a theme that gives entrée to an intriguing mix of stories, such as American Originals, Wired, or House & Garden.
The producers of State of the Arts all came to television with prior experience in the arts, from creative writing and painting to theater and classical music. The results can be seen not only in the variety of topics covered on the weekly show, but in the national PBS documentaries they have produced over the years. Scheduled for the 2007-2008 PBS season is Words and Music by Jerry Herman, a 90-minute documentary chronicling the life and career of one of the American Musical Theater’s iconic figures, premiered January 1, 2008 on PBS. Past PBS documentaries, all available on DVD, are Ben Shahn: Passion for Justice, a film about the social realist painter, photographer, and muralist; George Segal: American Still Life, a profile of the sculptor whose hallmark white plaster figures made him one of our best known American artists; and Willie the Lion, the story of the legendary jazz pianist from Newark. Upcoming projects include Bonaparte’s Retreat, about Napoleon’s brother, Joseph Bonaparte, who settled in Bordentown, New Jersey after Waterloo and established a cultural presence in our then still “rural” new nation.
Some of the best ideas for stories on State of the Arts come from viewers. Send your suggestions and comments to starts@njn.org. To find out what’s coming up on State of the Arts, sign up for the State of the Arts Update, an e-newsletter preview of each show.
State of the Arts is seen on NJN Public Television throughout New Jersey, as well as in the surrounding areas of New York, Delaware, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, and can be watched on-line. Check for the NJN channel in your area.
State of the Arts has been co-produced by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts since 1985. Funding is also provided by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.
