Count Basie Theatre changes name to Count Basie Center for the Arts

by JAY LUSTIG
Count Basie Center for the Arts

The Count Basie Theatre has changed its name and will be known as the Count Basie Center for the Arts.

One of the state’s leading arts venues, the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, is changing its name and will now be known as the Count Basie Center for the Arts. The center has also unveiled its new logo (see above).

According to a press release, the new name was chosen “to represent the sum of the nonprofit organization’s work in arts, education and community.”

The center is currently undergoing a $26 million expansion that will create the Jay and Linda Grunin Arts and Education Building as well as a second performance space to be named later. Improvements will also include an expanded lobby, new concessions and restroom facilities, and a new members lounge.

At an unveiling ceremony, Monday night, the center’s president and CEO, Adam Philipson, said Count Basie was more than just a great jazz musician. He “was a symbol of creativity and talent, born in our town and famous for his many contributions to music and culture,” Philipson said. “Tonight, we embrace his legacy into a name that better suits us as an organization with a mission to entertain, educate and inspire.”

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