Mural Project - Next Phase
Asbury Park SewagePlant
Next phase in sewage plant mural project - TriCity News February 15, 2024
TriCityNews
Local weekly paper covering regional news and events, by Dan Jacobson
ASBURY PARK — This newspaper has long prepared for the economic boom that we knew would one day hit our beloved little city.
We planned for it during our early years building up everything here that was creative, artistic and alternative — starting when the city was largely abandoned.
The inevitable economic boom would bring enormous pressures for conformity. That’s what happens when a place becomes hot. Our strategy was to build up artistic and cultural leaders and traditions that could withstand the onslaught — and be around to attract new types and forms of creativity.
The DIY and punk days of 20-25 years ago, when the few artists here could pretty much do whatever they wanted on an empty Cookman Avenue, are over. What’s replaced them in the creative tradition are people like Parlor gallery owner Jenn Hampton — the foremost arts leader in Asbury today with her influence all over — and powerhouse creatives like renowned music photographer Danny Clinch and his Transparent Gallery, which has also become an important music venue. (Hampton was here in the early days 20 years ago.)
The up-and-coming young creatives are still here in numbers actually much larger than 20 years ago. And more continue to arrive. They now live in Asbury Park or any of the interesting towns in the triCity region of eastern Monmouth a short ride away.
Still, Asbury Park is the driving force and engine in our region for the arts and culture (with Red Bank a strong second).
We give you that long-winded introduction to report about the latest on the mural project at the Asbury Park sewage treatment plant on the ocean. Yes, murals on our sewage plant! And what’s gone on there is a perfect example of why our city — stranded out here in a suburban region — stays ahead of the conformist curve. Where else is a sewage plant transformed into an arts icon?
Asbury arts leaders like Jenn Hampton, Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn, Asbury Park Arts Council Executive Director Carrie Turner and others put together a mural program for the panels on the treatment plant. The murals that have been stalled, as Amy Quinn says, are “phenomenal.”
The south and east sides of the treatment plant already have multiple murals. The last phase is ready to go. Request for proposals (RFPs) for the north face of the plant, which faces the senior citizen high rise tower, are now available for artists to return to the city. Quinn said that the city has approximately $5,000-6,000 to pay the muralist.
And demonstrating that Asbury Park’s commitment to the arts is all-ages, the impetus to do the north side of the plant came from seniors in the Asbury Towers high rise next door.
“Every year, upon completion, we ask the artists to give us feedback about the project as well as how it is, being an artist working in town on this project,” said Hampton. “Last year, the artists all shared that some of the seniors would show up and watch them painting and had asked when ‘their wall’ would get done.”
“This was heartwarming for me, knowing that they care and are interested in seeing art too. In fact, with Wooden Walls Project (the mural project Hampton curates on the boardwalk), I am hoping to acquire a golf cart to do a mural tour for seniors, in case they have not been able to see them all because of physical limitations,” Hampton said.
Both Quinn and Hampton are on the city’s Public Arts Commission, which approves public murals in the city. The commission is sponsoring this next phase of the mural project at the sewage treatment plant, with the Asbury Park Arts Council helping to coordinate.
Unlike the other sides of the plant with multiple mural panels, the north side will have one mural concept for the six panels there, Quinn said. New artists who have not painted other murals on the plant will be given priority. In addition, residents of the senior tower will be given input on the final choice of the mural.
Women in Film Series
New Jersey Stage
ART | COMEDY | DANCE | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY
Bread & Roses Film Festival and ShowRoom Cinema Bring Women in Film Series to Asbury Park
(ASBURY PARK, NJ) — In a celebration of Women’s History Month, Bread & Roses, Jersey Shore’s only female-centric film festival, in collaboration with ShowRoom Cinema, an independent, female-owned movie theatre in Asbury Park, presents a film series showcasing the visionary works of female filmmakers. Featuring a diverse lineup of cult classics and timeless favorites, this series promises to mesmerize audiences with its bold storytelling and groundbreaking perspectives.
“I am thrilled ShowRoom invited Bread & Roses to collaborate in putting together this screening series showcasing a few amazing films by women” said Marci Mazzarotto, founder, and executive director of the Bread & Roses Film Festival. “Our main mission centers around supporting, elevating, and celebrating women in film and this curated series offers an additional space, beyond the festival, in which female-centric cinema can be experienced.”
The “Women in Film” series invites viewers to immerse themselves in the creative genius of directors who have defied conventions in the world of cinema. From gripping dramas to dark comedies, each film offers a unique glimpse into the complexity of the female experience.
Royce Meier, ShowRoom’s programming director, stated that “after the sold-out success of Bread & Roses’ very first festival, which was held in our theatres, we simply couldn’t imagine teaming up with anyone else to celebrate Women’s History Month.”
Kicking off on March 5, 2024, screenings take place every Tuesday evening at 7:30pm. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased online at showroomcinemas.com or directly at the box office.
Local artists transform storm drains on Lake Avenue in Asbury Park to promote clean water initiatives
TAPintoAsbury Park
Your Neighborhood News Online - By Alissa Deleo
Local artists transform storm drains on Lake Avenue in Asbury Park to promote clean water initiatives
Presented by a collaboration between the Asbury Park Arts Council, City and Wesley Lake Commission
ASBURY PARK, NJ — In collaboration with the City of Asbury Park and with the support of the Wesley Lake Commission, the Asbury Park Arts Council commissioned artists Porkchop and Bradley Hoffer to beautify two storm drains on Lake Avenue to help bring attention to keeping trash and debris out of the lake.
Lake Avenue was selected for this demonstration project due to its high volume of pedestrian traffic. The designs feature an aquatic theme.
“These are two artists we’ve worked with before that we knew could complete this project really well,” said Carrie Turner, Executive Director of the Asbury Park Arts Council.
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“This is another creative way to inject art into Asbury Park’s landscape,” Turner noted, adding, “It has the dual purpose of being beautiful, but also drawing attention to a real need of keeping litter out of our lakes.”
Did you know that the city has an Adopt-a-Drain program where community members can sign up to volunteer to keep a storm drain in their neighborhood clear of trash to help keep Monmouth County’s waterways clean?
Excellent Qualifications
Excellent Qualifications in Asbury Park’s Top Job - Former Mercer County administrator Lillian Nazzaro is new City Manager
Independent Asbury Park Arts Council Leads The Initiative - TriCity News December 14, 2023
TriCityNews
Local weekly paper covering regional news and events, by Dan Jacobson, December 20, 2023
The City Council last week filled the most important position in our city — the city manager.
The city manager is the CEO of the city government. Make no mistake about the power of this post. It’s big. State law even bars a council member from communicating directly with a city employee without first going through the city manager. Elected officials who violate that law can be subject to removal after a hearing initiated by the city manager! (That set-up is to prevent meddling by politicians in city operations.)
The city council is meant to act like a Board of Directors, setting policy and monitoring the performance of the city manager, who also has broad power to hire and fire employees. Of course, the city council has ultimate power: they can fire the city manager if they disapprove of their performance. Obviously, that’s something you never want to see happen because it means there’s been much upheaval.
Complicating all this? Less and less talented people want to make a career of these high-profile positions, where the amount of shit you get is unprecedented with the advent of social media. So this is not an easy post to fill when you have a vacancy. (Current City Manager Donna Viero is retiring at the end of the year.)
But on paper, and personal first impression, it looks like the City Council found a great candidate to hire, current Mercer County Administrator Lillian Nazzaro, who will start January 16. Nazzaro has excellent credentials, especially because of her prior career before becoming a county administrator five years ago: Nazzaro, 60, was an attorney for over 25 years.
Almost 15 of those years were spent doing legal work for Mercer County, including serving as the top attorney, before she became county administrator five years ago. As county counsel, Nazzaro dealt with everything an administrator handles, since they’re always following legal advice. Like contract negotiations, employee discriminations cases, civil rights cases, construction lawsuits, injury
lawsuits. You name it. That’s a hell of a background.
Also understand the size of the government that Nazzaro has run for five years as Mercer County administrator. (And talk about a trial by fire: the pandemic hit about one year into her tenure!) Mercer County, which includes the capital city of Trenton, has an annual budget of $380 million with 1500 employees. In comparison, Asbury Park has an annual budget of $55 million, with 247 full-time employees, 52 part-time and 227 seasonal employees. Nazzaro is obviously ready for this.
Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn noted that Nazzaro is “the first woman appointed as County Business Administrator in Mercer County history, is an accomplished professional with a proven track record and her legal experience will make her an invaluable asset to this administration. As City Manager, Lilly will oversee day-to-day operations, strategic planning, and implementation of policies to further enhance the quality of life of Asbury Park residents.”
And, on top of all that, Nazzaro lives on a farm in Mercer County where she raises and breeds alpacas with her fiancé! Quinn made a point of highlighting that, with undisguised delight, after the vote to hire Nazzaro.
Of special interest to this newspaper, of course, is how the new city manager will work to help preserve and increase our city’s status as a nationally known center for the creative, as well as the regional engine for the growth of arts and culture.
Nazzaro said that the arts and culture in Asbury Park was a big part of the attraction, along with our diversity — all of which Nazzaro said she’ll give a high-priority to promoting, just as she did in Mercer County. She noted that the Division of Culture and Heritage in the Mercer County government reported directly to her as administrator and she found that a particularly rewarding part of the position.
In fact, one of the first people Nazzaro met at the Council meeting after getting appointed was Asbury Park Arts Council (APAC) Executive Director and Board member Carrie Turner, an important arts and cultural leader in the city. The non-profit APAC is independent of the city, but acts in collaboration to broaden the reach of arts programs. The APAC, for example, has access to grants that don’t go to governments, and the group developed and wrote the Arts and Culture Plan that the city adopted as part of the master plan. That will be a guiding document for key decisions. The APAC also directly gets involved with programming, such as by assisting in public murals and public art projects. So this is an important group for promoting creativity in Asbury Park.
Nazzaro said she was excited to meet Turner at the Council meeting, and she said she’s going to start meeting with APAC after she takes over as city manager on January 16. Nazarro said she understands that the Asbury Park Arts Council is an important partner to the city.
And Nazzaro also is well aware of one of the biggest challenges facing Asbury Park — the balance between change and preservation. That’s not an easy one, and a lot of it is in the control of a force beyond the power of human beings. Specifically, the forces of economics. (Yes, that includes greed!)
Nazzaro said that when she drives around the city she’s struck by the range of homes, from old Victorians to high rises. And she understands the challenges of gentrification in how it displaces people.
“I’d like to preserve Asbury Park as much as possible,” she said. “I know gentrification is going to be an issue because of redevelopment. For me it’s really important to recognize that and balance it. So that’s going to be something that I’m going to watch closely. I want to really make sure there’s the right balance in preserving Asbury Park as well as progressing.”
Asbury Park’s newly adopted Arts & Culture Plan Wins...
Asbury Park’s newly adopted Arts & Culture Plan wins County recognition for leadership in planning, exemplary public private-partnership
Collaborative effort between city, residents and artists leads to blueprint for vibrant cultural future
Tap into Asbury Park
Online Newspaper, By Alissa Deleo December 20, 2023
ASBURY PARK, NJ – The City of Asbury Park, known for its vibrant, multi-faceted arts scene, was recognized on Monday, December 18, by the Monmouth County Planning Board for the creation and adoption of the Arts & Culture Plan as a component of the City’s Master Plan.
The plan articulates a vision and strategies to promote the City’s cultural assets, stimulate economic growth and improve residential quality of life.
The Arts & Culture Plan is the result of an 18-month collaboration between the City of Asbury Park and the non-profit Asbury Park Arts Council (APAC).
In 2017, one of the co-founders of APAC, Mike Sodano, participated in the City’s decennial Master Plan Re-examination Committee.
As a local creative business owner, he worked with other committee members to formally recognize the need for an Arts & Culture plan for Asbury Park.
As a result, the committee recommended that the City create and adopt an Arts & Culture Plan as a component of the City’s Master Plan.
With the official recommendation for an updated master plan, Sodano, then owner of the ShowRoom Cinema, enlisted Jenn Hampton, co-owner of Parlor Gallery and curator of the Wooden Walls Public Art Project, to form the Asbury Park Arts Council.
They added several more like-minded townspeople and APAC was officially incorporated in 2019, with a primary goal to work with the City on the creation of an Arts & Culture Plan.
The Covid-19 pandemic slowed but didn’t stop APAC’s progress.
They began an active dialogue with City officials and advisors and conducted research into other plans.
During this time, they also raised their first grant funds from Monmouth Arts, the local county arts agency, to support the project.
The groundwork and research paid off in 2022 when APAC received significant grant funding from the Monmouth County government from COVID-19 relief funds earmarked specifically to support non-profit organizations.
APAC and the City of Asbury Park then engaged the leading architecture, planning, and design firm, FCA, to work with them on developing the Arts & Culture Plan.
An added bonus was that FCA’s Director of Planning and Urban Design, Eric Galipo, is a life-long resident of Asbury Park.
With the City, APAC, and FCA ready to start work on the Arts & Culture Plan, a steering committee of creative leaders and local, regional, and state government representatives kicked off the project in August 2022.
The planning process began with inventory, information gathering and public outreach activities that included online surveys, appearances at many community-based events, individual interviews, topical focus groups and multiple public open houses.
The information gathered informed the development of goals and strategies for the plan that culminated in six major recommendations and an implementation framework that lays out sequential steps for achieving the goals of the plan.
The recommendations focus on funding, staffing, partnerships, branding, placemaking and the development of a new community culture center.
The plan was adopted by the City’s Planning Board this past fall as an amendment to the Master Plan, incorporating it as an official part of Asbury Park’s vision for long-term growth and development.
At the Planning Board presentation of the document, Steering Committee member and Asbury Park resident Mary Eileen Fouratt, who works for the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, noted, “I am impressed with the amount of outreach conducted in creating this Plan. I work with communities statewide and not all of them take this much time to see what residents need.”
The Merit Award recognizes the partnership that brought the Arts and Culture Plan to fruition, as well as the way it advances many of the goals and objectives of the Monmouth County Master Plan, including supporting comprehensive planning approaches, promoting the protection of cultural resources and supporting creative placemaking.
“As a collective, our goal was to develop a strategy that uplifts the arts and culture within the Asbury Park community––through detailed research and local engagement; the plan outlines initiatives to bolster access to activities for creators, residents, and visitors,” Eric Galipo said.
“As a life-long Asbury Park resident and professional urban designer, I was honored to be part of the Plan’s development, and it’s affirming to see the Plan receive this recognition and award,” Galipo added.
Asbury Park Mayor John Moor, who is also a Planning Board member, said that the City greatly appreciates the recognition by the Monmouth County Planning Board for its Arts & Culture Plan.
“I believe we may be the only municipality in Monmouth County that has a plan like this, and I could not be more proud of the teamwork that went into getting it done,” Mayor Moor said, adding, “I especially like the way the recommendations of the Plan are presented as not “all or nothing,” or “now or never,” but laid out in incremental steps that are more realistic for the government to achieve.”
ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE
ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE
Performing December 1 through December 10, 2023
Palaia Theater at Jersey Shore Arts Center
66 S. Main Street, Ocean Grove, NJ 07712
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Isaiah Thomas
triCityNews
Local weekly paper covering regional news and events gets an interview with artist Isaiah Thomas. by Tara Collins AKA Twisted T
I met Isaiah back in July at the Parlor Gallery. He walked in and filled the entire gallery space immediately with his infectious positive energy! Isaiah dresses “to the nines” for no good reason other than, he enjoys dressing in suits and looking sharp. He was in wild awe of the artwork. When you see a young person so turned on to art, you stop what you are working on and give them all the time and attention to feed that inspirational fire. Isaiah is a caring, intelligent and driven model, photographer and conceptual artist living in Asbury Park.
Tell me about your art background? Art School or Self-Taught?
I am a self-taught artist with many inspirations around me. When I was young, my brother Fredrick Maldonado, used to draw and paint. Seeing what he created inspired me to follow in his footsteps. I was not as talented as him but drawing was always a great outlet for my emotions. I didn’t know how to process my emotions vocally. I would go into a dark place mentally and just sit in that dark place until I was ready to get out…but drawing was a source of light for me. I never went out my way to learn the details and tricks of artistry because drawing wasn’t a passion for me, it was more therapeutic. I loved how I felt when I created because prior to that, I didn’t feel anything at all.
What brought you to create the art that you make?
It started with drawing to express my emotions. Hell, I even started making my own poems when I was younger to see if I enjoyed that version of expression. I never thought I would do anything more than that so to say that now I am a model, creative director, stylist, photographer, and videographer…..is absolutely insane to me! It all started with my brother, Joseph Bivins. He sent me a casting for a runway show that I completely forgot about. I never walked a runway a day in my life, so I didn’t expect much out of this casting. After meeting the organizers of the fashion show and demonstrating my walk…I got casted!
I am a creator that expresses feelings for people. Or make you think things that you never thought you would think of and giving you different perspectives using the visual arts. As a child, I used art to express my emotions and what I was feeling. In my family, we didn’t talk about feelings or talk about things, so I used visual art, painting and drawing, for that and I still do. I was passionate. It wasn’t so much that I was passionate about drawing, I was passionate about creating. At the end of the day, art is expression no matter what form it is, it’s expression. I spent a lot of time trying to do things that other people liked, but now I do things that for myself. It’s so much more freeing to do what I like! If people don’t like it, if they hate it, that makes me happy because it’s like, “Good, it made you feel something!” Being able to create that conversation is truly cool to me. Then I like to think, “What am I gaining from this for myself?” “What did I learn from this? and What can I learn for the future?
What inspires you?
I have a lot of peers that inspire me, my closest friends, family, Josh Spio, Bella Durante, Kashaun Covin, Justin Pack, Joseph Bivins, Freddy Maldonado, and so many more. But what inspires me the most is my pain. I know that sounds pretty dark but it’s the honest truth. I have created concepts throughout my career. But the ones that are most deep to me are the ones that I created at my lowest. Life has a funny way of telling you that you are gifted. Instead of sitting in my despair, I woud much rather see what I can create within it.
If or when you get lost in an “art funk” (like writer’s block for artists), what helps you get back to creating?
Whenever I get into a Art Funk, normally I explore my world. I take a walk throughout Asbury Park, see the art out there. I’ll take a trip to NYC and get inspired with the energy there. Sometimes, I’ll even connect with my peers and see if I can get a spark from that. But one thing I’ll never do is stay content. Stillness is okay, but it must be done with purpose. Without purpose there is no drive. So, I try my best to stay driven with my passion even when I get into a funk. I may be low today, but I hope I’m not low tomorrow.
How do you think the community can better support their artists?
More communication of the Arts of Asbury Park. There are a lot of great opportunities in Asbury Park, but a lot of new artists simply do not know about those opportunities. Also, a lot of artists sometimes confuse their financial situations with opportunities. They block off the thought of being an artist because they feel like they can’t afford it and that’s simply not true. I feel like if we made that message clear within the community it can really help bring more artists together. Lastly, those that are connected in the community could speak up more. There is a lot of knowledge in our minds and if we share that knowledge amongst others, we can all succeed together.
Check out Isaiah on IG: @ISAIAHT722 and on TikTok: @isaiahet722 (at the time of our chat, he had 383,000 Followers on TikTok)
Venue Change Announced
TAPintoAsbury Park
Your Neighborhood News Online - By Alissa Deleo
Venue change announced for the APin3 Film Challenge premier event to the Jersey Shore Arts Center
Showcasing films from top finalists, and entries from two community groups nurturing Asbury Park's future filmmakers
ASBURY PARK, NJ – The Asbury Park Arts Council (APAC) is pleased to present the APin3 Premier Screening Event on Sunday, October 22, at 6:30 p.m. at the Jersey Shore Arts Center, 66 S. Main St. Ocean Grove.
This Premier Screening Event will showcase the finalists of this year’s APin3 Film Challenge, as well as entries from two community groups nurturing Asbury Park’s future filmmakers – the Boys and Girls Club and Inspire Life, Inc. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Filmmakers submitted three-minute films shot in Asbury Park over the course of three weeks this summer with the hopes of winning the top three awards and the acknowledgment of their peers.
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The audience at the screening participates in the night’s ceremony by nominating their favorite film for a special Audience Award.
Filmmakers in the finalist category, in alphabetical order, include Alissa Deleo, Tom Cavanaugh, Kevin Clark, Chloe Evangelista and Noah Falco, Patrick Greene, Mat Hale, Elden Harris, Paul Kaplan, Thomas Louis, Jennifer Suwak and Caryn Whitman.
Mike Sodano, Board President of APAC and filmmaker, said about this year’s event, “As the only filmMAKING event held in Asbury Park, we are excited about the creativity of this year’s entries. Filmmaking is flourishing in our city, and this Challenge supports our local talent and celebrates film as an art form in Asbury Park.”
Nancy Sabino, Executive Director of the APin3, commented, “Asbury Park is the star in these films, and the variety of the submissions always serves to humble us as we rate the finished films for the event. These filmmakers are creative, and their work is evocative, and we are pleased to acknowledge their efforts on the big screen.”
Carrie Turner, Executive Director, APAC, offered the big picture, “APAC works to help pave the way for more art and culture to grow in the city.
The recently adopted Asbury Park Arts and Culture Plan has identified that the community wants more opportunities
for artistic engagement, and we are doing our best to act as champions for that request.”
Filmmakers, their fans and the public are invited to this free event.
Tickets can be reserved online at AsburyParkArtsCouncil.org. Whatever tickets are not pre-reserved
will be offered on a first-come, first served basis at the door that night.
Donations can be made to APAC online and at the event so that even more events like this can be
produced in the future.
This year’s APin3 Film Challenge is made possible by support from Monmouth County, Manasquan Bank Charitable Foundation and the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce.
The Asbury Park Arts Council is a 501c3 group formed to advocate for and promote arts and culture initiatives in the City.
Day of the Dead Celebration Coming To Asbury Park
The Coaster
by the Coaster Editorial Staff
In the summer of 2022, Asbury Park business owner Christopher Gonzalez had an idea. He wanted to bring a Dia de los Muertos celebration to the Asbury Park boardwalk.
Traditional Dia de Los Muertos events are held every year in the first week of November. Gonzalez set out to City Hall and secured a permit. Unfortunately construction on the boardwalk was planned and there was no guarantee that the boardwalk would be ready in time.
Undeterred, he came to the conclusion that this Celebration of Life event would have to be postponed until 2023. He reached out to part-time Asbury Park residents and creatives, Danny Driscoll and Ed Chiquitucto, to see if they would be interested in co-producing this event.
Coincidentally, Driscoll was approached by other local business owners, Stephanie Cañas Hunnell and her husband Rich, who mentioned her idea to host a Dia de los Muertos celebration, and the committee was born.
And now, the Dia de los Muertos celebration is scheduled to come to life on Sat., Nov. 4 on the Asbury Park boardwalk.
This free, family and pet-friendly event is planned for 4 to 7 p.m. rain or shine. The committee has been planning, obtaining a permit and securing sponsorships for this event. This Dia de los Muertos celebration is on the Asbury Park Boardwalk.
For those unfamiliar with Dia de Los Muertos or the Day of the Dead it is a traditional Latin holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives and friends for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration.
This event will feature a lively procession from Convention Hall to the old Casino, with an authentic Mariachi band. They invite all participants to join in the procession, bring photos of loved ones and bring offerings to the ofrenda, a traditional altar to honor the deceased.
Participants are welcome to come in traditional attire or just as you are. There will also be professional make-up artists on-site beginning at 2 p.m. outside Convention Hall. The organizers are asking people to join them at 4 p.m. as they plan to begin the procession about 4:30 pm. The procession will march down the boardwalk to the Carousel. There will also be tee shirts for sale, and a Sugar Skull cookie vendor.
N2S Festival Returns Next Summer to Kick Off the Season
The Coaster
by the Coaster Editorial Staff
As part of the North 2 Shore Music Festival earlier this year the Smithereens performed their classic hits to a sold-out crowd at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park.
After a successful first year, which saw hundreds of thousands take part in the inaugural North to Shore Arts and Ideas Festival in June 2023, the event will return next year to kick off summer 2024 with another three-city, three-weekend celebration of the arts and innovation across New Jersey.Conceived by Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy, the North to Shore Festival was designed to spotlight New Jersey’s culture, diversity, and spirit of innovation.
In 2024, the festival will launch in Asbury Park from June 10 to June 16, swing down the Shore to Atlantic City June 17 through June 23 and conclude in Newark from June 24 through June 30.
Once again, both global headliners and artists who make their homes in each festival city will take the stage in front of an audience drawn from across the state and around the region. The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) will again produce the festival, in partnership with a cohort of other live entertainment presenters and producing partners.
Alongside the first season’s headliners — which included Jersey-born pop diva Halsey, hip hop legends Eric B. & Rakim, classic rocker Santana, Brazilian superstar Marisa Monte and R&B songstress Jazmine Sullivan and one of America’s first new wave bands, The B52’s — the inaugural festival presented scores of concerts, film screenings, art exhibits and expert panel discussions on innovation in technology, climate-change, healthcare and business, as well as scores of performances and events, many of them free, featuring artists who make their creative home in New Jersey.
“What makes the North to Shore so exciting is that — even if you only spend one day at the festival — there’s so much to hear, to see, to learn and to do. It’s a perfect introduction to New Jersey’s incredible arts scene,” said John Schreiber, President and CEO of NJPAC.
The festival, in its first year, drew an audience of nearly 250,000 to more than 300 shows in more than 100 venues in three of New Jersey’s most arts-rich cities.
While most festival events were free to the public, ticketed events brought in $7.6 million in ticket sales.
In addition, 56 artists based in Atlantic City, Asbury Park and Newark were awarded North to Shore grants.