Newark Arts Festival Captures ‘People’s Choice’ Award

NEWARK, NJ — One of Newark’s most popular arts events is returning for 2019 and will be seeking artists and volunteers from the local community.

On June 1, the Newark Arts Festival (NAF) will open its call for artists who want to participate in the annual, free citywide celebration. Recently named the “Favorite Visual Arts Festival” in the 2019 JerseyArts.com People’s Choice Awards, the NAF puts a positive spotlight on the city’s cultural institutions and creative community.

In addition to a range of music, visual arts, dance, theater and spoken word events, attendees will also get the chance to shop and purchase the work of more than 100 artists in their open studios.

The 2019 Newark Arts Festival will take place from Oct. 10 to 13. (Learn more here)

This year, artist Adrienne Wheeler will be stepping into the lead curator role.

Wheeler said it was an honor “as both an artist/curator and daughter of the city of Newark” to join the festival’s leadership team.

“I look forward to working with artists and curators in our region and beyond,” Wheeler added.

For the first time, Newark Arts is engaging its inaugural Artist Advisory Council in the planning of the festival, in addition to partnering with Newark's cultural institutions, galleries and art spaces. There will also be a new festival headquarters at 1180 Raymond Boulevard (at the corner of Raymond and Commerce), courtesy of the Newark Downtown District.

“We’re excited for the continued growth of the Newark Arts Festival, and for the joy that comes with a four-day celebration of the arts for everyone to experience and enjoy,” said Jeremy Johnson, executive director of Newark Arts. “With hundreds of visual artists, dance and theater performances, live music in a variety of styles, pop up exhibits and hands-on demonstrations, the festival is truly a destination for arts lovers.”

For more information about the Newark Arts Festival, call (973) 643-1625 or visit newarkartsfestival.com. To volunteer at the Newark Arts Festival, visit https://newarkarts.org/volunteer/.

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page here. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com