New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu


?>

 

Ground Broken For Newark Arts Commons

originally published: 04/25/2018

(NEWARK, NJ) -- Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Deputy Mayor and Director of Newark Economic Development and Tourism Carmelo Garcia, Mayor's Office of Arts, Cultural Development and Tourism Gwen Moten, Rutgers University-Newark Chancellor Nancy Cantor, Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, and GlassRoots CEO Barbara Heisler will broke ground for the new Newark Arts Commons on Wednesday, April 25 at the old St. Michael's Hospital (111 Central Avenue) in downtown Newark.

The abandoned historic building will be converted into an 18,000-square foot creative hub, which will enable Newark residents of all ages to learn artistic, entrepreneurial, and life skills.

"Culture and the arts are the core of our city's transformation and growth," Mayor Baraka said. "They are central to our luster as a destination, vital to empowering our economy, and critical to inspiring our youth and residents to achieve their dreams of creative success. This new facility will enable all of these goals to become reality, while also restoring a historic downtown building to productive use. I look forward to the success of the Newark Arts Commons."

GlassRoots alone will create six large, dynamic glass art shops, classrooms, gallery spaces, a gift shop, event rental spaces, and a coffee shop. The Standalone Scientific Glass Workshop will bring new industry to Newark and create employment opportunities for program graduates.

The new facility will provide GlassRoots with a new home and space for other arts organizations.




New Jersey Stage provides affordable advertising for the arts, click here for info



The Newark Arts Commons will enable:

*         Youth opportunities to work alongside professional artists
*         Young adults to serve as gallery docents and take art classes
*         Adults to be able to create art in "Worker's Space."
*         College students to be able to earn glass concentrations in BFA or MFA programs.
*         Artists to exhibit in the facility's gallery and have their art sold in the gift shop.
*         Programs to enable communities to gather to work and meet in a creative environment.


GlassRoots is a Newark-based 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides opportunities for achievement to youth and young adults by engaging them in the creation of glass art and the development of entrepreneurial and life skills. GlassRoots programs are STEAM-based (STEM+Art), and are offered as in-school residencies, after-school and summer arts programs, workforce development programs, and as workshops for teens and adults, using competency in handling molten glass as a pathway to personal development.  


PHOTO: Mayor Baraka and GlassRoots Break Ground for New Newark Arts Commons at Old St. Michael's Hospital, April 25, 2018





New Jersey Stage provides affordable advertising for the arts, click here for info


FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


1776

1776

Sunday, May 11, 2025 @ 3:00pm
Algonquin Arts Theatre
60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan, NJ 08736




 

Oldies

Oldies but Goodies Mother’s Day Concert Benefiting Families in Greater Union County

Sunday, May 11, 2025 @ 5:00pm
Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) - Main Stage
1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ 07065



"How

"How The Light Gets In" by E. M. Lewis

Sunday, May 11, 2025 @ 2:00pm
South Camden Theatre Company
400 Jasper Street, Camden, NJ 08104



Knuffle

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical (Sensory Friendly Performance)

Sunday, May 11, 2025 @ 2:00pm
The Historic Palace Theatre
7 Ledgewood Avenue, Netcong, NJ 07857



American

American Repertory Ballet presents Pasión

Sunday, May 11, 2025 @ 2:00pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901





Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info





 

EVENT PREVIEWS

Artists

Artists with Disabilities Head to Jersey City for Prestigious Art Fair

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- The Matheny Arts Access Program is excited to announce its participation in New Jersey's premier art fair, Art Fair 14C, marking the program's first-ever appearance at a professional art fair.



Ocean

Ocean County Library Toms River Branch presents "Who We Really Are" Art Exhibit

(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Ocean County Library Toms River Branch is pleased to feature art designed to challenge misconceptions and encourage understanding. "Who We Really Are," provided by the RWJBarnabas Behavioral Health Center, Toms River, will be on display in the Second Floor Gallery throughout the month of May.



Riverside

Riverside Gallery presents "Where We Left Off" - a Solo Exhibition by Jamie Joe

(HACKENSACK, NJ) -- Riverside Gallery presents Where We Left Off, a solo exhibition by Korean American artist Jamie Joe from May 8-17, 2025. In this new body of work, Joe explores the suspended spaces between pause and persistence—where memories surface, yearnings stir, and unfinished stories quietly live on. Her abstract and figurative expressionist paintings seek to unearth the vivid fragments of the psyche, creating a dialogue between personal recollection and collective experience.



Young

Young Artists Take the Spotlight at the Iris Gallery @ SOPAC

(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is proud to announce the return of the INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition, a showcase of exceptional visual art created by high school students from across Essex County. This vibrant and inspiring exhibition will be on display in the Herb + Milly Iris Gallery from May 15 through August 17, 2025.



The

The Art House Gallery Presents "Ending Up" — A Bold New Installation and Artwork by DISTORT

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Art House Productions presents "Ending Up" by DISTORT — a bold, immersive exhibition from one of New Jersey's most celebrated muralists. The exhibition runs from Saturday, May 3 through Sunday, June 1, 2025 at the Art House Gallery.