Creating Art to Celebrate ‘Doversity’

IDEA Cultural founder Julian Gómez promotes education and cultural collaboration to expand the community.

By Dave Chmiel   Photos by Karen Fucito

Julian Gómez is busy.

A 10-minute walk across the County College of Morris (CCM) campus takes nearly a half-hour. He takes a moment with everyone who crosses his path, offering a word of support for students, providing a project update with a colleague, or mentoring a recent grad about his progress on career choices.

Gómez is the executive director of educational opportunity programs at CCM. He plays a key role in building a campus environment where all students—regardless of their background or goals—feel welcomed, supported, and empowered. Gómez is a member of several committees across the college that ensure the institution helps all students thrive and reach their potential.

He also oversees the state-funded Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program, which provides vital academic and financial support to students. Gómez leads the Dover College Promise program, a partnership with the Dover school system and CCM, and the Morristown College Promise program, both aimed at increasing access to higher education and supporting student success. Gómez presently serves on the boards of the Dover Educational Foundation and Morris Arts.

He has been working in higher education for more than 25 years but is especially proud to work with CCM students.

“I started my educational journey here as a student,” he says. “So it’s especially impactful to make a difference to students where I see a little bit of myself. It’s an important time in my life and in this world to make a difference to students right here and right now.” He’s still a student working on a Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at Rowan University.

Commitment to Involvement

Gómez may be busy, but he has many talents and interests and isn’t shy about getting involved.

“Throughout my professional career, I have been deeply engaged in education—whether higher education, community education, or multicultural education,” he says. “At the colleges and universities where I have worked, I have always been involved.”

He’s passionate about his hometown of Dover, where he moved with his family as a teenager 33 years ago – and where he lives today with his wife and their two children.

“From a young age, I was deeply connected to the arts. Family gatherings often featured music and poetry, and I spent hours reading poetry, watching films, and immersing myself in the arts,” he says. “In school, I was actively involved in choir and theater, greatly enjoying creative expression. As a teenager, I immediately connected with the town’s arts and cultural activities, especially Club Colombia’s tertulias or art nights, where the community gathered to share poetry reflecting both local life and traditional Latin American themes.

“Soon, I found myself not only participating in but coordinating these events, infusing a youth perspective. My time at County College of Morris [as a student] further solidified my connection to the arts through photography programs and multicultural organizations like the United Latino Organization and the school newspaper,” he adds. “These experiences allowed me to integrate arts, culture, and education, shaping my vision for community-building initiatives.”

Fast-forward a few decades. Gómez is a husband, a father, an educator, an adult with a voice, a platform—and an idea. In 2019, IDEA Cultural was born.

“The word ‘idea’ is identical in Spanish and English. That inspired me to turn inspiration into action,” he says. “IDEA Cultural officially began when I explored the idea of bringing together community arts and culture leaders to promote the cultural richness of our community.”

Since then, well over 100 artists have been involved, sharing their work through live performances or on their online platforms. Many other artists and supporters have contributed by attending events, purchasing tickets, and supporting the initiative, even if they have not yet directly participated.

Gómez works hard to build IDEA Cultural collaborations, including with Club Colombia, where the group has hosted poetry nights and grant-writing workshops.

“IDEA Cultural partners with corporations and institutions, such as Novartis and CCM, and cultural groups like Morris Arts to serve working and aspiring artists as well as the community,” he says.

The group helped organize the Dover Asphalt Art and Music Festival in 2023 and 2024’s Dover Art Festival, but its annual ¡Aquí Estamos! (“We Are Here!”) Performing Arts Showcase at CCM is the cornerstone of its mission. This event blends art, education, and advocacy, raising vital funds for CCM’s College Promise Program. Local artists are given the opportunity to perform in professional venues, reaching new audiences and further cementing the role of art in Dover’s cultural evolution.

“We have supported projects by the Dover College Promise Program, specifically the Dover 300 video [to honor Dover’s 300th anniversary],” he says. IDEA Cultural also has organized live events at Tequila 55, Roosters Coffee House in Ledgewood, the Quality Inn Hotel in Ledgewood, The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, Novartis, and other businesses. IDEA Cultural has also contributed to the traditional Colombian Festival, supporting local art representation.

Gómez is generous with his time. And, as an advocate for education and the arts—and as a performer—he’s not shy about sharing his voice. “I am proud to be the vocalist in Chambacú, a Latin-fusion band with a few local musicians. We blend different musical expressions from Latin America and the U.S., exploring a variety of genres and messages that reflect the essence of Latin American culture.”

Anyone interested in learning more about IDEA Cultural can visit the website or its Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages. Gómez says they are also developing a TikTok channel to expand their reach.

Building Community Connections

“IDEA Cultural is more than an organization; it is a movement driven by the belief that art has the power to unify and uplift,” Gómez says. “Its volunteers and artists, the very people who build it from the ground up, embody the understanding that culture is not something we passively consume. It is something we actively create.”

As Dover continues to grow as a cultural hub, IDEA Cultural is committed to being a connector and community advocate. “We are dedicated to helping the arts continue to thrive as a living, breathing force for good. IDEA Cultural is a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared purpose—to celebrate, create, and uplift.”

This is IDEA Cultural, where artists and contributors build a bridge for the past, present, and future of Dover’s cultural roots.