Nelson Johnson Named Hammonton’s 2012 Artist of the Year

The Hammonton Art District Steering Committee has announced that Mr. Nelson Johnson has been selected as the Hammonton's 2012 Artist of the Year. Nelson is the author of the book Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Decline of Atlantic City, which inspired the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, as well The Northside: African Americans and the Creation of Atlantic City.

Nelson is a life-long Hammonton resident, having grown up on Bellevue Avenue working in his family's business. He was chosen as recipient for this award from a publicly-nominated base of qualified candidates by members of the Hammonton Art District Steering Committee, which consists of representatives from the Noyes Museum, the Hammonton Art Center, the Eagle Theatre, the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Atlantic Cape Community College, and the town of Hammonton. This honor is presented annually to a Hammonton resident whose work in an arts-related field, including the visual arts, creative writing, music, and the performing arts, has positively contributed to the town, its populace, and the advancement of the arts in Hammonton.

The success of Nelson's Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Decline of Atlantic City was the result of nearly two decades of research and writing, and the critically-acclaimed product has succeeded, through a unique blend of history and art, in thrusting a new light on the history of one of America's most interesting cities.

Nelson will be honored at the Artist of the Year reception taking place at 7pm on September 29 at the Eagle Theatre, located at 208 Vine Street in Hammonton. The event will include live music as well as refreshments, beverages and desserts. Tickets to this special event are $30 and can be purchased at TheEagleTheatre.com, or by calling (609) 704-5012.

Previous recipients of the Artist of the Year Award include Dawn Baldwin (2007), Anthony Guerere (2008), Mary Catherine DeMarco (2009), Jack Mazzeo (2010), and Paul Morris (2011).