Praise for Newark’s Arts Impresario

“Mr. Thomas masterminded one of the most extraordinary arts education programs in the nation as vice president of arts education for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. His passion for the arts and the need for robust advocacy and sustained support for students was powerfully and successfully conveyed. During his tenure, the arts education program was recognized nationally as an innovative model and the gold standard for others to replicate. Mr. Thomas’s genius inspired a team of arts professionals who were mentored by his extraordinary leadership, which was transformative for the arts community. He is a remarkable and persuasive individual, who eloquently elevated the conversation on advocacy, resources, and opportunity in the arts throughout New Jersey. His tremendous legacy of success prepared hundreds of students who have excelled professionally and academically at the highest levels. With his remarkable skills for collaboration and his excellent business acumen, he navigated seamlessly from the boardroom to the classroom. I had the great privilege to work with Mr. Thomas during my term as the secretary of state of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. It was one of the highlights of my tenure.”

“Philip Thomas’s leadership in establishing a partnership between the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and the Newark Public Schools before NJPAC’s opening is now entering its thirty-third year. The benefits that Newark students have received during those years from attending performances, participating in arts training programs, receiving college scholarships, and being catapulted into professional careers in the arts are extraordinary. This book chronicles Philip’s commitment to arts education, the city of Newark, its arts and cultural institutions, and his distinguished career.”

“Philip Thomas is one of the architects of Newark’s modern cultural legacy. Through his leadership at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark Symphony Hall, and his work championing artists at the Carter G. Woodson Foundation, he helped establish Newark as a true center for the arts in New Jersey. This book honors a man whose vision and dedication elevated an entire city.”