NEWS | FEATURES | PREVIEWS | EVENTS

originally published: 09/09/2021

(NEWARK, NJ) -- Newark Arts will celebrate its 20th Newark Arts Festival this fall with a headline exhibit honoring legendary entertainer and New Jersey native Dionne Warwick. Dionne Warwick: Queen of Twitter is sponsored by Audible, in partnership with the GRAMMY Museum Experience™ Prudential Center. The exhibit will debut on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 from 6:00pm-9:00pm in a pop-up gallery at the Hahne & Co. Bldg. on Broad Street. The exhibit will run until October 29, 2021. 

Produced by Lauren LeBeaux Craig and Marcy DePina of Newark Arts and curated by Souleo, the exhibit will feature original artwork inspired by the humorous, sassy, profound, and inspirational tweets of Ms. Warwick, plus rarely seen archival material including items from Ms. Warwick’s personal collection.

“The city of Newark has always been close to my heart and a major part of my personal and professional development,” says Ms. Warwick. “I am thrilled to participate in the Newark Arts Festival and help spotlight the resiliency and creativity that makes this city so special and significant.” 

Dionne Warwick: Queen of Twitter may be the first-ever art exhibition inspired by a single Twitter account. In 2020, Ms. Warwick’s account @DionneWarwick (managed by her niece Brittani Warrick) went viral, and for good reason. Her commentary on everything from perplexing celebrity stage names to social justice issues offered laughs, wisdom, and comfort for an intergenerational audience during the nation’s pandemic and civil unrest. 

“I am honored to celebrate Ms. Warwick in this exhibition through the incredible work of the featured artists,” says Souleo. “Through her online presence, Ms. Warwick has demonstrated how creative resilience, the theme of Newark Arts Festival 2021, can uplift us all during challenging times.” Participating artists include Lavett Ballard, Pamela Council, Jo-El Lopez, Beau McCall, Dianne Smith, and Felandus Thames. The exhibit will run until October 29, 2021. 

 

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“Audible is honored to partner with Newark Arts and the GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center to celebrate Dionne Warwick, whose legendary voice has entertained the world for half a century and who inspires us by continuing to find new ways to bring us together,” said Aisha Glover, VP, Urban Innovation. “We’re big fans of Ms. Warwick and we’re excited to see her humor, wisdom, and grace on exhibit for the Newark community to enjoy."

“New Jersey is home to many musical legends and icons, none more legendary or iconic than the great Dionne Warwick,” said Mark Conklin, Director of Artist Relations and Programming at the GRAMMY Museum Experience™ Prudential Center.  “We’re proud to join our friends at Newark Arts and Audible in celebration of Ms. Warwick and the 20th Anniversary of this extraordinary arts festival in our community.”

“Newark Arts is thrilled to partner with Audible and GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center to bring this unique artistic experience to Newark,” said Regina Barboza, Interim Executive Director, Newark Arts. “What better way to demonstrate our creative resilience than to celebrate the renowned Ms. Warwick, while also showcasing hundreds of artists throughout the festival.”

For more information and to RSVP, please visit NewarkArtsFestival.com/dionne.

The mission of Newark Arts is to power the arts to transform lives. Established in 1981 as the Newark Arts Council, the organization’s vision is to become a nationally recognized catalyst for the collaborative power of the arts in the City of Newark and urban America. Newark Arts is the producer of the Newark Arts Festival and Newark Creates, a community-led citywide cultural plan, created in partnership with the City of Newark.  Key initiatives include Arts Education Newark (AEN) and the ArtStart community grantmaking program. Newark Arts is generously supported by Prudential Financial, the City of Newark, M&T Bank, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Victoria Foundation, Turrell Fund, Bank of America, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, Verizon, United Airlines, Hanini Group, PSEG and individuals, businesses and institutions.

Image Credit: Beau McCall, Dionne: Queen of Twitter, 2021. Collage printed with dye sublimation on aluminum, 16 x 20 in. From the series “Dionne Warwick: Queen of Twitter.”