(NEWARK, NJ) -- The Newark Arts Festival (NAF), powered by Prudential and produced by Newark Arts, celebrates its 18th year as a free citywide arts festival in New Jersey’s largest city October 10 through 13, 2019. NAF was recently named Favorite Visual Arts Festival in the 2019 JerseyArts.com People’s Choice Awards and each year, the Festival puts a spotlight on Newark’s artistic and cultural institutions, features both nationally recognized and also emerging, local creatives, and provides attendees the opportunity to shop and purchase the work of over 100 artists in their open studios. Alongside the visual arts, music, dance, theater and spoken word can be found throughout the festival, as well as hands-on arts activities for youth.

This year, with the generous support of NAF title sponsor Prudential Financial and official airline, United Airlines, Newark Arts has engaged both a new event production team and lead curator. 725 Standard, a boutique agency based in Newark and led by Talia Young and Ericka Regine, have been commissioned to produce the four-day event. “This year we are immersing the city in a 360 creative arts experience that connects all communities to heart of Newark’s culture, we cant wait to see the city come to life this year,” said Young.

Stepping into the Lead Curator role is well-known artist and curator, Adrienne Wheeler. “It is an honor as both an artist/curator and daughter of the city of Newark to join the team of the Newark Arts Festival as Lead Curator. I look forward to working with artists and curators in our region and beyond,” said Wheeler. “To quote bell hooks, ‘The function of art is to do more than tell it like it is - it’s to imagine what is possible.’”

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, art spaces to lift the entire city. There will also be an inspiring new Festival Headquarters located at 1180 Raymond Blvd (corner of Raymond and Commerce), courtesy of 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.”

The Call for Artists will open on June 1, 2019. For more information on the Newark Arts Festival, call (973) 643-1625 or visit newarkartsfestival.com.

To volunteer at the Newark Arts Festival, please visit https://newarkarts.org/volunteer/

The Newark Arts Festival is produced by Newark Arts and powered by Prudential. Additional sponsors and partners include United Airlines, the NJ Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism and the Women’s Association of NJPAC.