Cultural & Historic Affairs

About

The Division of Cultural & Historic Affairs is dedicated to supporting the arts, history, and historic preservation in Bergen County. Through its programs, services, and resources, the DCHA helps distinguish Bergen County as a flourishing New Jersey cultural destination.

View Calendar of Events

Arts

The DCHA offers grant funding for local nonprofit arts organizations and others that present arts programs, provides arts education opportunities for schools, and hosts visual art exhibits and grant writing assistance workshops.

Annual art programming includes:

• Art in the Park, a major regional art show for artists at all levels.
• Teen Arts Festival, the largest arts education festival for teenagers in New Jersey.
• Music at the Wortendyke Barn, a series of outdoor concerts. 

History

The DCHA encourages public participation in Bergen County heritage through the celebration of the County’s history and events associated with the nine County-owned historic sites. The DCHA is charged with the ongoing endeavor of preserving and maintaining the County-owned sites, a mission that is carried out by the DCHA staff with the advice of the Bergen County Historic Preservation Advisory Board. 

Visit Bergen County’s Historic Sites

Learn more about Bergen County’s history in the American Revolution, and explore highlights from our Bergen250 Revolutionary Roundtable series

Research

Serving as a resource center for County historic and preservation research, the DCHA staff and consultants:

• Supply historic information to the public
• Update the County Historic Sites Survey for 70 towns
• Provide history and preservation grant funding and technical assistance for county societies, organizations, and towns
• Curate the Bergen County Archives

The Historic Preservation Awards are an annual highlight, providing commendations for historic preservation projects, leadership, and education

Visit Bergen County’s Online Historic Archives! 

Grants

The DCHA administers grants for Art organizations and History organizations.

The Arts Grant Program supports and promotes County non-profit art organizations, and other non-profits that present Bergen County-based art programs.  

The History Grant Program supports and promotes Bergen County history programs, projects, and local history-based non-profit organizations.