LizzieandJonathanTischtake
centerstagewithmajorgifttoNJPAC

NEWARK, N.J. (September 30, 2019) — Jonathan Tisch, the Jersey-born third-generation hotelier and business-leader, and his wife Lizzie, are expanding their philanthropy in his native state, with a major gift to NJPAC’s 20th-anniversary capital campaign.

The Tisches contributed $5 million to the campaign, which will support the Arts Center as it expands its work in arts education, civic and community engagement, and support of the arts. In recognition of their gift, the stage of the Arts Center’s Victoria Theater will be named the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Stage.

“My family and I have always had an affection for the Garden State. Even though I don’t currently live in New Jersey, I recognize the value of ensuring that future generations here can embrace, enjoy and benefit from the arts and culture,” Tisch said.

Tisch, the Chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels & Co, is also Co-Chairman of the Board and a member of the Office of the President of Loews Corporation, one of the largest diversified companies in the United States. He is also a co-owner, with his siblings and the Mara family, of the New York Giants. He noted that many of his colleagues at Loews, and many players and members of the New York Giants organization, make their homes in New Jersey.

“Having known and respected John Schreiber [President and CEO of NJPAC] for many years and having met his colleagues and learning about the goals of the campaign, my wife and I wanted to support the work being done at NJPAC, and help it continue its important mission for decades to come.”

“The philanthropy of Lizzie and Jon Tisch is renowned for its thoughtfulness and effectiveness. The Arts Center is proud and grateful that their belief in our work and mission has resulted in this transformational gift,” said John Schreiber. 

Tisch has deep roots in New Jersey. It was here that the Tisch family’s hospitality company began with a camp and a hotel called Laurel in the Pines, in Lakewood. They were bought and run by Jon Tisch’s grandparents, Sadie and Al Tisch, and his father Bob and uncle Larry, in the 1940s. Both were so successful that they expanded their business to Atlantic City, where Jonathan Tisch was born in 1953. At one point, the family owned five hotels in the seaside resort town.

Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch’s gift, in keeping with their philanthropic focus on creativity and community support, will buttress NJPAC’s myriad arts education programs, particularly those with a curriculum in line with the maker movement’s philosophy of allowing children to be the authors and creators of their own works of art. Children in these arts training residencies, workshops and classes are engaged in writing their own rap songs, devising their own theater pieces, and performing their own jazz solos, with the guidance of NJPAC teaching artists.

“Lizzie and Jon Tisch’s generous gift provides indispensable support to NJPAC’s best in class education and community programs which positively impact the children and families who need them most,” said Steven Goldman, Co-Chairman of the Arts Center’s Board of Directors.  

Tisch notes that his own son, Henry, got his introduction to the arts in part at NJPAC. “I have memories of taking him to a variety of performances at NJPAC when he was growing up. Now he’s 25, living in New York City and working on Broadway!” 

The gift will enable programming for the public on the Tisch Stage — including performances created and rehearsed by NJPAC students. The gift also includes support for the design and construction of a new education and community center on the NJPAC campus — which will become the first purpose-built home for arts training programs in the Arts Center’s history.

NJPAC
One Center Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102
njpac.org or 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722)

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J., is America’s most diverse performing arts center, and the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey – where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted nearly 10 million visitors (including over 1.7 million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.

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