(NEWARK, NJ) -- A $450,000 grant in support of arts education will significantly increase the number of Newark students invited to enjoy world-class performances at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 academic years and will help Newark Public Schools (NPS) provide high quality professional development for hundreds of art teachers.

Funds awarded to NJPAC by the Community Foundation of New Jersey will allow kindergarteners through 12th-graders in Newark Public Schools to experience the lively arts in their home city. The two-year grant, part of the commitment made to Newark schools by Mark Zuckerberg and Dr. Priscilla Chan in 2010, will provide for more NJPAC SchoolTime performances and assemblies for NPS students, as well as professional development programs for arts teachers throughout the district.

“Our district’s partnership with NJPAC is a pivotal step toward ensuring that all Newark students are able to explore a variety of learning opportunities that will enhance their educational journey,” said NPS Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf. “Our students will have the opportunity to experience real-world applications of their artistic explorations in the fields of performing and fine arts.”

The number of NPS students attending SchoolTime performances at NJPAC and in-school assemblies combined will rise dramatically in each academic year, from about 15,000 to 24,000 participants. The entire NPS student population is approximately 35,000.

“It’s been proven time and again that an immersion in the arts is essential to a child’s journey of self-discovery and is a strong factor in developing many other academic skills,” said NJPAC President and CEO John Schreiber. “This important and essential new grant will ensure that the arts take a more central place in the education of the students who need it most.”

The grant will also make it possible for 183 arts teachers from the 64 NPS schools to obtain professional development training. Eight days, scheduled over two years, will include sessions on instructional strategies, led by professional artists and other teachers. Arts teachers may attend two extra sessions, with peer teachers from other academic subjects, to discuss effective integration of arts education into the variety of curricula.

On Wednesday, October 26th, art teachers came together for their first professional development training experience with NJPAC. The day included curriculum workshops in the morning and arts discipline workshops on the “Creative Process” in the afternoon, led by internationally acclaimed artists. These artist included: Stefon Harris, a four-time Grammy nominee; Patricia Smith, A national book award finalist; Samuel Pott, a nationally acclaimed choreographer; and Oliver Herring,  an experimental visual artist who created TASK: a series of participatory improvisational art events.

About NJPAC

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located at One Center Street in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States and is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey – where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted more than 10 million visitors (including over 1.5 million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. Visit njpac.org or call 1-888-GO-NJPAC for more information.