About Year of the Arts

It is my great pleasure to officially announce that 2025 marks the launch of Year of the Arts at Rutgers–Camden. I have already noticed a sense of excitement building around campus, so I am thrilled to begin bringing you more details about the yearlong showcase of creative expression that will take place across the stages, galleries, and literary hubs of our city and our region.

As we consider our role as an anchor institution in the city of Camden, this emphasis on the arts becomes more than just fabulous works and performances.  Rather, Year of the Arts centers on fulfilling the promise of the arts as highlighted in these important statistics:

• Students with high arts participation and low socioeconomic status have a 4 percent dropout rate—five times lower than their peers.
• Students who take four years of arts and music classes score an average of more than 150 points higher on the SAT than students who take them for half a year or less.
• Low-income students who are highly engaged in the arts are twice as likely to graduate college as their peers with no arts education.

Hence, the importance of Year of the Arts as a means of bringing cultural enrichment to our beloved Camden community cannot be overstated. 

In January 2025, a diverse slate of Year of the Arts programming will commence throughout local venues large and small. From homegrown Rutgers–Camden talent to internationally touring acts, the celebration will highlight the depth and breadth of artists who practice their craft in our community or speak to the diverse tastes of our multicultural city. I cannot wait for Year of the Arts to entertain us, inspire us, and demonstrate the incredible unifying power of music, theatre, visual art, literature, and much more.

Please visit camden.rutgers.edu/arts-2025 to stay apprised of upcoming events and learn how you can become part of the celebration. I look forward to joining you throughout next year as we elevate the arts and their impact throughout the South Jersey region.

Sincerely,
 
Antonio D. Tillis, Ph.D.
Chancellor