“To me, being an artist in Newark is a privilege. We stand at the crossroads of a past and future that are still being understood and interpreted. On this ground of one of the oldest cities in the United States, we walk, create, and illuminate these hidden stories of dispossession and reclaiming,” said Noelle Lorraine Williams.
"In the aftermath of the pandemic, I want to have an even more significant impact on helping to bring joy, peace, and healing through my public art to Newark,” said Antoinette Ellis Williams.
Newark Artist Collaboration installations will begin this fall in and around Audible’s headquarters, which is undergoing a comprehensive renovation in preparation for employees’ return. Neighborhood stakeholders who donated their space in support of this project include Aetna Realty, Hanini Group, Bolton Development, Fidelco Realty Group, FOCUS – Hispanic Center for Community Development, the Newark Public Library, and Rutgers University-Newark. The City of Newark’s Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs and local arts organizations such as Express Newark, Newark Arts, The Newark Museum of Art, and Project for Empty Space have also advised on and supported the development of the program. The Newark Artist Collaboration intends to regularly engage the local artist community and will include future installations and artistic activations.
Newark Artist Collaboration Jurors included Celeste Bateman, Principle/Founder, Celeste Bateman, and Associates; Tricia Laughlin Bloom, Curator of American Art, The Newark Museum of Art; Lauren Craig, Director of Marketing & Artistic Initiatives, Newark Arts; Joslyn Bowling Dixon, Library Director, Newark Public Library; Anne Erni, Chief People Officer, Audible; Aisha Glover, VP, Urban Innovation, Audible; Nina Cooke John, Founder and Principal, Studio Cooke John Architecture + Design; Sheila D. McKoy, Owner, SDM Art Solutions Service; Taneshia Nash Laird, President and CEO, Newark Symphony Hall; Kari Niles, VP, Creative Director, Audible; Damon Rich, Designer, Urban Planner, and Partner, HECTOR; fayemi shakur, Arts and Cultural Affairs Director, City of Newark, NJ; Salamishah Tillet, Director, Express Newark at Rutgers University, Newark; Roger C. Tucker, Director, Tucker Contemporary Art; and Jasmine Wahi, Co-Director at Project for Empty Space.
The Newark Artist Collaboration is the latest of Audible’s impact initiatives to aid in pandemic recovery, joining Newark Working Kitchens, which launched in April 2020 and has helped keep open 30 local restaurants and delivered more than one million meals to at-risk Newarkers. NWK has reached more than 10,000 Newark residents across 70 locations. NWK and the Newark Artist Collaboration are supported by the Global Center for Urban Development, which Audible created in 2020 to expand its community and economic initiatives while launching new and measurable models focused on advancing equity, racial justice, and economic empowerment. Audible has been a long-time proponent of the Newark arts community. Employees receive free memberships to the Newark Museum of Art as well as tickets to concerts and events at NJPAC and the Prudential Center. Audible has also donated free memberships to its service, including 160 educator-selected titles, to thousands of Newark Public Schools students and teachers, and to the Mayor’s Book Club.
Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day. Audible content includes more than 600,000 audio programs from leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers.
