Coming to bergenPAC! Northern NJ Community Foundation's ArtsBergen to Launch New Networking Series Connect the Dots

The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation (NNJCF) announces ArtsBergen will launch Connect the Dots, a new, four-event networking series, on Monday, October 19. ArtsBergen, an initiative of the NNJCF, will present the first event at the Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC), located at 30 North Van Brunt Street in Englewood, New Jersey, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The event is free and open to artists, writers, arts administrators, municipal and community leaders, business owners, and arts supporters living or working in Bergen County, who are interested in cultivating connections and collaborations.

The series will provide opportunities to develop relationships with others in the county’s arts community, present new occasions to work together, and highlight unique arts experiences and informative speakers on relevant topics. This year, the series will explore creative placemaking, the integration of arts and culture into a neighborhood, town, or region to build community, with the goal of adding excitement, attracting visitors, improving livability and enhancing the local economy. The series’ goal is to create an environment to stimulate conversation and encourage partnerships that initiate creative placemaking projects across the county.

The first networking event will discuss how communities are currently using creative placemaking and ways for communities in Bergen County to use this process in their areas. Featured speakers will be Kadie Dempsey, director of arts in Community/Creative Placemaking with Morris Arts in Morris County, and David Garsia, owner, The Art Factory, in Paterson.

“Creative Conflicts: Live Art Battle”

The Bergen County Neighborhood Network’s “Creative Conflicts: Live Art Battle” will present local, visual artists going head-to-head in a multi-round, live art-making competition. In each round, artists will be given a new medium -- a marker and acrylic paint -- to add to their piece in a time-controlled environment in two 45-minute rounds. The audience will experience the creative process live and be given a ticket to vote for a favorite piece. Once an audience member votes, the ticket will be entered into a raffle, with a drawing held at the end of the event making them eligible to win a painting.

“The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation is delighted to host ArtsBergen’s Connect the Dots series. The first event will inspire area communities to learn more about how creative placemaking can make Bergen County’s cities, towns, villages, boroughs, or neighborhoods more livable, engaging, sustainable, and prosperous. We invite people to attend and be inspired by collaborative projects underway in New Jersey that are integrating arts and culture to make a difference in shaping better places and to consider how they can start this work in their own communities,” said Michael Shannon, president, NNJCF.

Space is limited. Pre-registration is required and may be done online. For further information, call 201-568-5608.

The NNJCF, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Englewood, New Jersey, focuses primarily on education, public health, civic engagement, and the arts. The organization works with local governments, school districts, businesses, non-profit organizations, and citizen groups in Northern New Jersey to improve community life. Foundation partners identify and resolve regional problems and opportunities by talking and learning from each other, by sharing ideas, best practices, services, and resources.

ArtsBergen, an initiative of the Foundation, is an emerging arts alliance in Bergen County, New Jersey. The initiative’s mission is to energize and unify artists and arts organizations and connect the Bergen County community to the arts. ArtsBergen also supports and encourages creative placemaking.

For more information, visit the organization online, send an email or call (201) 568-5608. Follow the NNJCF on Facebook and Twitter @NNJCF.