'Cool Cat' Helps Newark Preschool Families Enjoy Free Art Events

NEWARK, NJ — There are now thousands of potential “Cool Cats” in Newark, and the city’s reputation as a hotspot for the arts is all the better for it.

A collaborative of local arts institutions recently partnered with the Newark Public School District to welcome the Cool Cat program to the city. The program provides more than 6,000 Newark preschool families with a “family pass” that gets them into a variety of local arts and culture events… for free.

Partners in the Cool Cat project include Newark Arts, the United Way of Essex and West Hudson, the Newark Museum, the Newark Public Library, the Greater Newark Conservancy, the NJ Symphony Orchestra, NJPAC, the Liberty Science Center and the Newark School of the Arts

Newark Public Schools Interim Superintendent Robert Gregory said that the Cool Cat partnership is “particularly important” to the district because it helps children find creative ways to learn.

“We know where there is exploration of the mind, through art and music, you will find a direct link to advanced learning and academic success,” Gregory said.

• See related article: Newark's Diverse Arts Scene Generates Big Bucks For City, Study Says

According to Tamara Remedios, founder of Cool Cat, the family pass provides families with access to over 100 free events in Newark.

“For me personally, as a Newark preschool mom, I wanted Newark families to take advantage of the cultural and arts scene that has grown tremendously over the last 10 years,” Remedios said.

“The benefits of arts with early childhood will develop their cognitive, creative, social, linguistic and emotional skills,” Remedios added. “The events also help strengthen parent-child bonds and engage the parent - this is important to empower parents as we take on local control and need to expand parent involvement.”

A recent needs assessment study in the Newark Public School District that garnered almost 1,400 replies found that pre-K parents in the district “rarely visited cultural institutions,” according to Newark Executive Director of the Office of Early Childhood F. Nana Ofosu Amaah.

“It is critical for our youngest learners to be exposed to the arts,” Amaah said. “The research is clear on the effects of the arts on children’s development, learning and expression.”

More information about the program can be found online at: www.coolcatnewark.com

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Photo courtesy of Newark Public Schools

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