NJPAC
At the heart of the Downtown Newark Arts District sits the 12-acre site of New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the sixth largest performing arts center in the United States. NJPAC was designed to be "not just in Newark, but of Newark," literally one step off the street, not distanced from the heart of the City. Theater Square, NJPAC's outdoor public plaza, was designed to provide a continuum of Newark's existing open green spaces from Military Park to the Newark Riverfront. Through programming, NJPAC’s mission is to be as much of a presence in the Newark community as their location is.
Comprised of Prudential Hall (the largest space), the Victoria Theatre and the Chase Room, NJPAC has attracted over 6 million patrons (including more than 1 million children) since its October 18, 1997 Opening Night. NJPAC has garnered national attention in its first thirteen seasons, serving as a model for programming, audience diversity, education initiatives, and the catalytic role it has played in returning nightlife and economic activity to NJ's largest urban community. Included in this program is the Alternate Routes series, part of which is Sacred Circles, a hip-hop and spoken word production.
NJPAC's Arts Education program is the nation's fourth largest for a performing arts institution. There are also residencies offered in dance, theater, music and the literary arts through the NJPAC Arts Academy. The Center for Arts Education at NJPAC, directly adjacent to the Arts Center, was inaugurated in early 2001.
Included among the artists appearing on NJPAC stages in its first thirteen seasons are the Boston Symphony Orchestra; Yo-Yo Ma; Bob Dylan; Lauryn Hill; Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Twyla Tharp Dance; Dance Theatre of Harlem; Israel Philharmonic; the Royal Danish Ballet; Itzhak Perlman; the Vienna Boys Choir; Sting; Elvis Costello; National Song and Dance Company of Mozambique; Don Henley; the Afro-Cuban All-Stars; Melissa Etheridge; the Czech Philharmonic; Bette Midler; The Chieftains; Herbie Hancock; Sweet Honey in the Rock; and Diana Krall. NJPAC is also the home of the Grammy-winning New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Each year, this world-class ensemble performs in Prudential Hall as well as in other venues throughout the state.
For more information on NJPAC, please visit their website.
For an interactive tour of NJPAC, please check out the Star Ledger's map here.
