NORTHERN VALLEY—The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Hackensack, will open National Arts and Humanities and Jersey Arts Month in October with a celebration of ArtsBergen’s 10th anniversary.
The public is invited to a special Connect the Dots networking and workshop event featuring the artist collective Works on Water on Tuesday, Oct. 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Metropolitan Club/Alumni Hall, 990 Library Circle in Teaneck. Admission is free; a suggested $10 donation is appreciated to help support 10 more years of building connected communities through creative placemaking and public art. Refreshments will be served.
Artists, environmentalists, and municipal leaders are especially encouraged to attend to learn how public art can raise awareness about environmental issues while fostering beauty and community. Pre-registration is available online at nnjcf.org.
About Works on Water
Works on Water is an organization and triennial exhibition dedicated to artworks, performances, conversations, workshops, and site-specific experiences exploring diverse artistic investigations of water in urban environments. Its artists and practitioners work with water as both a site and material, responding to the urgency of climate change, increasing urban density, and growing public awareness of ecological concerns. Their work engages with current economic, political, and global issues and is in conversation with the traditions of Land Art, Public Art, and Performance Art.
Artists Emily Blumenfeld and Sarah Cameron Sunde from Works on Water will present an interactive workshop that will explore an artist-designed future for the Hackensack River. The workshop will include an overview of the evolution and importance of Water Art, followed by a presentation from Cameron Sunde on her global project, 36.5 / A Durational Performance with Sea. The workshop will move to the river’s edge for an experiential exploration of the tidal shift. Participants will collaborate to create concepts for public art related to water and will have the opportunity to network and learn more about involvement in the Works on Water triennial exhibition.
About the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation
Founded in 1998, the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation works with local governments, school districts, businesses, nonprofits, and community groups to improve quality of life in the region. The foundation collaborates to address regional problems, explore new opportunities, and share ideas, best practices, and resources. NNJCF’s initiatives aim to create more creative and inspiring places, greener and healthier environments, and a sense of belonging and opportunity in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union, and Warren counties. For more information, visit nnjcf.org, email nnjcf@nnjcf.org, or call 201-568-5608.
About ArtsBergen
For the past decade, ArtsBergen has collaborated with artists, arts organizations, businesses, and municipal leaders to use the arts to shape the social, physical, cultural, and economic identities of communities. ArtsBergen’s Connect the Dots program presents ongoing networking events for the arts community and those interested in the arts. Each event features a variety of activities, including exhibitions, speakers, and interactive arts experiences. The program fosters a safe and open environment where artists and community sector representatives can build relationships and collaborate.
It also strengthens the arts community through professional development presentations and the exchange of ideas, work, resources, and talent.
ArtsBergen is the only initiative in Bergen County offering a comprehensive range of services in creative placemaking. The program has partnered with multiple municipalities to facilitate creative teams, develop public art and creative placemaking plans, and manage public art projects to preserve and express community culture. For more information, visit nnjcf.org/artsbergen.