Peering through the artistic lens, let’s explore Drawing Rooms. It is a nonprofit art space that enriches the community through contemporary visual art. Drawing Rooms is located in the Topps Building on the Mana Campus. This is in the Journal Square neighborhood of Jersey City.
Drawing Rooms moved to this location in 2018. Before that, it was in a former convent in Downtown Jersey City for six years. This art space displays two and three-dimensional works. These works are by emerging and mid-career artists. They come from New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area.
Drawing Rooms provides a space for artists to gather. They can connect and advance their careers here. Its exhibitions, public programs, and publications enrich lives. They do this through an appreciation of contemporary visual art.
Victory Hall Inc. operates Drawing Rooms. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This organization has produced exhibitions, programs, and public art projects. They have been in the NJ/NY area since 2001. In 2022, Drawing Rooms expanded. It now includes The Terrarium Gallery and The Alcove Gallery.
Other Victory Hall Inc. programs exist too. These include Rainbow Thursdays Artists which are art classes for adults with developmental disabilities. Also, there is Victory Arts Projects, Victory Hall Press, and The Art Project. The Art Project develops exhibitions for Art House, The Oakman, Hamilton House, 175 2nd St, and Colab.
James Pustorino and Anne Trauben run Drawing Rooms. They are two artists dedicated to maintaining a place for the arts. This place is in Hudson County. Here, artists and the community can gather.
Drawing Rooms is sustained through diverse funding sources. These sources include grants and fundraising events. Grants come from foundations such as the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. Other funding comes from the Hudson County LAP grant. There is also the Princeton Area Foundation grant. The Jersey City Cultural Trust Fund grant helps too. Fundraising events include artist donations and sales of art works. Sponsor ads and individual donations also contribute.
Grants support salaries for management and curation. They also support managing the Rainbow Thursdays Artists’ program. A City of Bayonne CDBG grant supports the Rainbow Thursdays teaching staff. The Scipione Benevolence fund and a Qualcomm matching grant support facility rental areas and salaries. A general grant from the Fund for Charitable Giving adds funds where they are most needed.
Victory Hall Inc. connects artists and the community. This creates meaningful cultural experiences for all. They believe in thoughtful and quality art. It can change, enlighten, develop, and transform a community. It can also help it grow. They strive to include marginalized communities. They give them a platform to share their stories. Relevant issues of our time and important trends and themes in art are shared too. Drawing Rooms exemplifies this mission. It serves as a dynamic hub for artistic expression and community engagement in Jersey City.