South Jersey is comprised of eight counties: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem, and Ocean. Together these counties create a patchwork of unique arts, culture, and history offerings from festivals to galleries and historic sites to artist collectives. The South Jersey Cultural Alliance strives to support these organizations and artists to help them build capacity and provide all people inclusive, engaging access to the arts.
According to the Unitedd States Census Bureau, South Jersey’s current population is comprised of a diverse mix of comunities, including:
| Atlantic | Burlington | Camden | Cape May | Cumberland | Gloucester | Ocean | Salem | |
| Black or African American | 17% | 18% | 22% | 5% | 22% | 11% | 4% | 15% |
| American Indian | 0.70% | 0.30% | 0.60% | 0.30% | 2% | 0.30% | 0.30% | 0.60% |
| Asian Alone | 8.30% | 5% | 6% | 1% | 1.50% | 3% | 2% | 1% |
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Is. | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 2.70% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 1% | 2% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 19.20% | 8% | 17% | 8% | 31% | 6% | 10% | 10% |
| White/NonHispanic | 56% | 67% | 56% | 85% | 46% | 78% | 84% | 74% |
| With a disability under 65 | 9% | 6% | 10% | 9% | 10% | 9% | 8% | 11% |
| Foreign Born | 16% | 10% | 11% | 5% | 10% | 5% | 8% | 5% |
SJCA strives to represent the diverse make up of the southern region. Current SJCA Membership within these counties varies as shown below:
| County | % SJCA Membership |
| Atlantic | 27% |
| Burlington | 8% |
| Camden | 17% |
| Cape May | 14% |
| Cumberland | 7% |
| Gloucester | 8% |
| Ocean | 12% |
| Salem | 6% |
Economic Impact of the Arts in South Jersey
Arts & Culture improve the quality of life in all South Jersey communities by positively impacting education, health & wellness, generating a substantial economic impact.
According to Art Pride’s Art Matters research and the Americans for the Arts AEPS Calculator (FY2017), nonprofit Arts & Culture organizations accounted for almost 1800 jobs and generated nearly $57 Million in South Jersey. That’s a big impact!
To find out more, click each individual county below for more details on the economic impact of arts & culture, as well as infographics and information that you can use to help spread the word about the importance of arts & culture in South Jersey.
Don’t forget to share stories of how the arts have impacted your life on social media (#ArtMattersNJ).