Newark Arts Council (NAC, aka Newark Arts) is a key anchor institution that drives Newark as a global City of the Arts. Founded in 1981, for the past 43 years, Newark Arts has invested over $1 million into Newark’s creative ecosystem, funding more than 354 community-based projects.
Every donation helps fund our continued mission of powering the arts to transform lives.
JOY LIVES HERE
JOY Lives Here is the story engine of Newark Arts Festival 2025: JOY. Through film, photography, and collaboration, the campaign celebrates artists for whom joy is not just a theme but the source of their inspiration, nurtured within Newark’s creative community.
Gallery Hours
Ode to Joy – at the Newark Museum of Art
Closing November 2, 2025
Museum hours:
Thursday & Friday 12-7pm
Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm
The King Has Spoken – at Kaplan Art Gallery @ Bloomfield College
Closing November 10, 2025
Gallery hours:
Monday to Thursday 9am-9pm
Friday 9am-5pm
Perspectives – at Newark ArtSpace
On viewing through November 26, 2025
Gallery hours:
Thursday & Friday 11am-5pm
Saturday 12-5pm
All other days by appointment only
Pure Joy – at Express Newark
On view through November 26, 2025
Gallery hours:
Monday to Wednesday 12-5pm
Thursday 12-8pm
Saturday 12-5pm
Sanctuary of Joy – at First Church of Newark
On view through December 2, 2025
Gallery hours:
Saturday 10am-2pm
Elation – at Nico Kitchen + Bar
On view through February 2, 2026
Open hours:
Tuesday to Friday 11:30am-8pm
Saturday 3-8pm
Collective Power – at Victoria Foundation
On view through April 12, 2026
By appointment only
Joy Lives Here. So Should You.
October 8–12, Newark becomes a citywide celebration of music, art, and radical joy.
LOOK BACK AT NAF2024
From Iconic Nights to Citywide Adventures
Exhibitions, performances, block parties, community events, and immersive art experiences all week long.
TICKETS
Choose your moment of JOY
Come for the Festival. Stay for the City.
Explore Newark’s art, food, nightlife, and culture between every show and gallery.
Looking for Inspiration?
We curated an eclectic playlist that captures JOY in all its forms. From quiet moments of peace to bold bursts of celebration, from revolutionary anthems to soft, reflective melodies—this is joy, in every shade and sound. Press play and let it inspire you. Updates bi-weekly.
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NAF IS ICONIC
GUEST CURATORS
Share the JOY
Join thousands of artists, innovators, and culture lovers from across the nation at New Jersey’s largest arts festival.
SPONSORS

