Students are seen performing in front of a panel of judges at the 2025 Teen Arts Festival at Raritan Valley Community College on May 21, 2025.
On May 21, 2025, nearly 1,000 students from 15 Somerset County schools arrived at Raritan Valley Community College to celebrate the 2025 Teen Arts Festival. The annual event, hosted by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, highlighted the importance of the fine and performing arts and showcased the creativity of students through an art gallery of student work, dance and theater performances, live music, hands-on workshops, and more.
Throughout the day, middle school and high school students, aged 13-19, roamed the campus with their peers to discover activities that included 32 available workshops and over 80 student performances. This year, students had the unique opportunity to attend a workshop called the “Art Supply Thrift Shop” which enabled students to pick-up free art supplies in exchange for a personalized thank you note.
One student’s note stated, “All of the items I got today were things I was looking for, but didn’t have the funds to get to make the projects I had in mind. Now I can make my art how I want without settling. Thank you!” Another note said, “Thank you so much for this experience! It was such an honor, and I’m grateful for all the free art supplies!”
All the donated new and gently used art supplies were collected and made available to students by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission in collaboration with Propagate Studios.
The festival also featured the expertise and guidance of 40 local artists from different creative backgrounds. Students were given the opportunity to engage with the artists, some of which were RVCC professors, to receive constructive feedback in the fields they aspire to create in.
The festival allowed students to display their talents across seven artistic disciplines, which included visual arts, creative writing, film, theater, dance, instrumental and vocal music. Student visual artists displayed their 2-D and 3-D work in the RVCC Art Gallery.
Students that excelled in their artistic discipline and showcased immense skill, talent, and creativity, were nominated to participate in the New Jersey State Teen Arts Festival, which will be held June 2 to June 4, 2025, at Middlesex College.
Additionally, three talented students were selected to participate in the New Jersey State Teen Arts – Visual Arts Traveling Exhibition, where their artwork will tour through New Jersey from August 2025 to May 2026.
The next Teen Arts Festival is scheduled for May 2026. For more information on participating in the festival, contact Festival Coordinator Katie Himics at culturalheritage@co.somerset.nj.us or call 908-231-7022.
The Somerset County Teen Arts Festival is made possible in part by funds from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
The County of Somerset is committed to excellence and innovation in public service, promoting the well-being of all residents and communities by providing effective, efficient, and responsive leadership.
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