With a permanent home on the campus of Ocean County College, the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts is a performing arts center devoted to bringing art and entertainment to the people of Ocean County and the Jersey Shore region.
The Grunin Center’s intimate venue, which hosts premiere performers worldwide, enables spectators to see once-in-a-lifetime performances by legendary artists, local musicians, and one-of-a-kind entertainment. Every season, performances of various kinds of music and theatre, cinema, and dance find their way to the Grunin Center stage.
The Grunin Center also serves as a home for young performers from a variety of educational performing arts groups, including students from Ocean County College’s performing arts and fine arts departments and participants in the Ocean County and NJ State Teen Arts Festivals, among others. The Art Gallery showcases the creation of local artists throughout the year by exhibiting numerous collections. In addition, the Garden State Philharmonic serves as the Orchestra-in-Residence at the university.
Background & History
A private family charitable organization situated in Toms River, New Jersey, the Grunin Foundation was established in 1989. Their goal is to improve the quality of life for all residents of our community by leveraging philanthropy to create economic success at the Central Jersey Shore. They do this by partnering with other institutions. Click here to learn more
Pandemic Precautions
The following are the current COVID-19 safety precautions in use at the Grunin Center:
- Beginning on Friday, March 11, visitors are highly advised to wear masks, although not forced to. Upon request by artists or presenters during special performances or events, the Grunin Center maintains the right to change this policy as deemed appropriate.
- The foyer and theater will be open 45 minutes earlier than the program’s start to allow for a more relaxed entrance.
- You should remain at home if you are not feeling well or if you have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus. They have temporarily changed their exchange policy to reflect this.
- Seating will be available in three configurations: distanced, pick-your-own, and general admission. Please maintain a reasonable amount of spacing between your party and the rest of the group in lobby locations.
- All attendees will have access to hand sanitizer, easily accessible throughout the venue.
- They have modified their HVAC system to incorporate UV-C disinfection to serve their customers better.
- Skilled cleaning staff will thoroughly clean the theater between performances.
- Protective barriers have been put in front of the Box Office counter. Because of the variety of seating arrangements, there will be no protective barriers in the theater.
All of their security precautions have been put in place with the safety of their customers, artists, and employees in mind. However, guideline updates occur often, and the safety procedures listed above are subject to change as new information becomes available.
Schedule & Office Hours
One hour before performance time, office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. While their team is now working remotely, they may be reached by phone at 732-255-0500 or, better yet, by email at [email protected] Browse next blog