Three years ago, a small group of dedicated artists formed the Voorhees Arts Council (VAC) with the goal of nurturing and teaching art of all forms in Voorhees. Over the past three years, the arts have come alive in our town for the benefit and enrichment of our community.
The Voorhees Arts Council (VAC) has held over 60 art programs and served over 5,000 community members. Beyond the standard teaching of watercolor and painting, this group of artists has given much to others. With the support of the Wawa Foundation, the Healing Art for a Hero’s Heart was formed and has sent the healing gift of art to over 200 deployed service members and veterans. At the height of the Covid Pandemic, a sister program was initiated, Healing Art for the Healthcare Hero’s Heart, with artists donating their time and talent to create art gifts for our local healthcare heroes.
The VAC partnered with over a dozen Voorhees businesses to initiate programs such as Pizza Painting Pajama Party with Sutherland Framing & Fine Art. The VAC also hosted receptions with NeurAbilities to honor and exhibit the artwork of students with disabilities. Pre-COVID, the VAC also joined the township at the Halloween Fall Festival, managing the pumpkin decorating and face painting activities. During these trying times of COVID-19, a group of VAC artists “explored the role of the artist during uncertain times,” which generated over 20 exquisite pieces of art that will be on display this fall, both in the Voorhees Arts Center and virtually.
Last year, the VAC created a Virtual Art Museum, displaying the unique work of local artists virtually on the walls of museums of the world. With support from the Voorhees Citizens Event Foundation, VAC artists created a 100-foot graduation mural at the Voorhees Town Center celebrating all of the graduating Classes of 2020 and 2021. In addition, Holiday Storyboards were created in Santa’s workshop inside the Town Center this past Holiday Season.
With our world slowly returning to normalcy, various summer classes and children’s art programs have been scheduled. Check the website at voorhgeesartscouncil.org to learn more. Finally, be sure to visit the Voorhees Arts Center gallery, full of the unique artwork of 30 local artists. The Voorhees Town Center Art Gallery is located in the Voorhees Town Center at the back of the food court.
The arts are certainly alive in Voorhees! Happy 3rd Birthday VAC and here’s to many more!
** Voorhees Township is offering discounted tickets to Morey’s Piers in Wildwood. Tickets are available in the Municipal Clerk’s Office at Voorhees Town Hall. Prices vary according to the type of ticket and several options are available to residents and non-residents. For more information about tickets, visit voorheesnj.com.
