City Officials Unveil Details for this year’s 29th annual Jersey City Art & Studio Tour – The Ultimate Arts Experience
City Officials Unveil Details for this year’s 29th annual Jersey City Art & Studio Tour – The Ultimate Arts Experience
Nearly 150 Art Spaces Open their Doors this week for JCAST, an Incredible Citywide event Celebrating Jersey City as the Heart of Art and Culture
JERSEY CITY— Mayor Steven M. Fulop will join city officials and local artists to unveil the highlights of art showcases and events taking place this week during the 29th annual Jersey City Art & Studio Tour (JCAST) during a press preview this morning, October 2nd, at 11:30 a.m. hosted at the JCAST HQ located at Shore House, 2 Shore Lane.
Jersey City has become a veritable Mecca for up and coming art across all platforms. Throughout JCAST, the ultimate art and culture experience, nearly 150 art spaces will open their doors to the public for an incredible art-filled festival featuring artwork, performances and the handiwork of approximately 1,000 local and regional artists. Residents and visitors are invited to enjoy and purchase art all weekend-long, while engaging with neighbors and friends in New Jersey’s most culturally diverse city in the country – Jersey City.
“This city encourages the arts community and celebrates the incredibly rich culture that is woven throughout the fabric of every single neighborhood,” said Mayor Fulop. “By bringing the hub for Jersey City’s largest arts and cultural event to the Newport area, we are furthering our efforts to cultivate the arts across the city and opening doors for more opportunity.”
Every year JCAST brings something new, and this year is no exception with the expansion of multi-disciplinary art including more performances, live music, and dance at many of the venues plus the Vogue Ball, taking place at Nimbus Dance Works to close the weekend on Sunday evening. As more and more new and upcoming artists participate in JCAST, showcases are broadening to incorporate unique media such as projection and mapping. Also new this year is an augmented reality installation by artists Erin Ko Studios as seen here. This year’s JCAST is presented by Bank of America and made possible by Mayor Fulop, the Jersey City Municipal Council, and the Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs.
“Jersey City has been a haven for artists for decades and is an integral part of my own artistic journey,” said Ron English, world-renowned mural artist with Jersey City roots. “I am so glad to see that this city’s potential is finally coming to fruition.”
Another highlight this year can be found right inside this year’s JCAST HQ space which is curated in collaboration with JCMAP and will feature original art from many of the artists that have worked in the city’s Mural Arts Program including as Distort, Joe Waks, Britt Ford, Emilio Floretine, Catherine Hart, Clarence Rich, Will Power, The Fortoul Brothers, UR New York, and Swati Rastogi.
Mayor Fulop will also host the JCAST HQ kickoff event on October 3rd from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Each year, JCAST partners with a different venue to host the JCAST HQ, bringing the center of the arts festival to varying neighborhoods citywide. This year, the JCAST HQ and kickoff celebration will be hosted in the newly-developed Shore House, located at 2 Shore Lane in the Newport neighborhood. The event is free and open to the public and all are invited to join in the festivities.
JCAST HQ at Shore House will be a main information center where visitors can get a festival map, grab a self-guided walking tour guide, enjoy a pop-up gallery, or hop on a Curated Tour. These are custom-created journeys assembled by art specialists across a variety of themes such as art to collect, murals, and creativity by neighborhood. Curated tours are offered by bus, bike and foot. Curated Tours are first-come, first-serve, and can be reserved at www.thejcast.com.
There really is something for everyone during the Jersey City Art & Studio Tour weekend! Go to www.thejcast.com to learn more. By exploring JCAST 2019, residents and visitors alike will discover why Jersey City truly is the heart of art in New Jersey.
Special thanks to JCAST Partners the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation and the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism, as well as our JCAST 2019 Sponsors: Goldman Sachs, GFP Real Estate & Art150, Hudson County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development, The Hudson Reporter, Yelp, and Park | Shore.
