Mayor Fulop Further Elevates Arts & Culture in Jersey City with Powerhouse Partnership to Create NJ’s Largest Visual Arts Event

First Annual Jersey City Art Week Announced for October 11-15

JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop joins the Office of Cultural Affairs and Art Fair 14C Executive Director Robinson Holloway to announce the premier of Jersey City Art Week – a new partnership between Jersey City’s largest visual arts events.

The Jersey City Art and Studio Tour (JCAST) and Art Fair 14C are joining forces to host concurrent events in October, creating a super-sized visual arts experience that will showcase Jersey City’s vibrant arts and culture scene.  Jersey City Art Week will attract local, national, and international artists to Jersey City alongside fine art exhibitors.

“By leveraging the strong relationships we have built over the years with our artists and arts organizations, especially Art Fair 14C, we can really amplify our impact and showcase our talented artists on a much bigger stage.  By combining forces, we will create the biggest and best arts and culture event on the East Coast, bar none.  This event will attract residents and visitors from throughout the region to come to Jersey City for the arts and stay for everything we have to offer,” said Mayor Fulop.

The combination of JCAST and Art Fair 14C will elevate the entire visual arts ecosystem.  Jersey City Art Week will be a premier arts and culture event with open studios, gallery receptions, and curated exhibitions.  The fifth edition of Art Fair 14C serves as the centerpiece of the week’s events.

The inaugural Jersey City Art Week will also host the renowned Conference of the International Sculpture Center (ISC), bringing the annual conference hosted by the New Jersey-based organization to our state for the first time.  The conference will draw hundreds of prominent sculptors and three-dimensional artists from around the world to Jersey City and contribute unique programming for Art Week.

For 33 years, JCAST has been a celebrated City-run event highlighting art and the creative process every year and attracting residents and visitors from all over the region with free curated tours, art demos, and panel discussions featuring artists, arts organizations, and collectives from all over Jersey City.  Last year, JCAST featured more than 650 artists at over 125 locations spanning the entire City.

Also held every Fall, Art Fair 14C has become an essential gathering for the region’s art world.  “Think of it as ‘Art Basel: New Jersey.’ Something that makes this event different from other fairs its emphasis on inclusivity, rather than exclusivity.” wrote Gothamist in 2022.

“Our mission is to increase opportunities for artists, expand public access to fine art, strengthen careers in the visual arts, and continue to enhance Jersey City’s reputation as an arts destination,” said Robinson Holloway, Founder and Executive Director of Art Fair 14C.  “Combining Art Fair 14C and JCAST is a chance for each to grow exponentially while supporting our mission to an even greater extent than we’ve already achieved individually.”

Jersey City Art Week is scheduled for October 11-15, 2023, with more details to come on both the JCAST and Art Fair 14C websites.

“For the past three decades, we have built, organized, and produced JCAST every October.  It is a massive undertaking that has been vital to our efforts in elevating our flourishing arts scene,” added Christine Goodman, Director of the City’s Office of Cultural Affairs.  “Jersey City Art Week is an opportunity to grow JCAST and bring in more people to experience our incredible artists.  We are going to expand how many people see and the way they see visual arts.”

The Fulop Administration is committed to making Jersey City a regional destination for arts and culture in New Jersey.  Consistent with this vision is the Centre Pompidou coming to Journal Square, the Loew’s Theatre renovation with the NJ Devils, the Liberty Science Center expansion, the Museum of Jersey City history at the Apple Tree House, and the Arts and Culture Trust Fund – currently allocating the second round of grants to support local artists and arts organizations.

Although Art Fair 14C will take on primary operations for both the fair and JCAST, to help guide the expanded Art Week a steering committee is currently being formed to provide advice, expertise, and long-term planning.

Comprising visual arts and community leaders, below is a list of confirmed steering committee members to date, with more to be announced in the upcoming weeks:

• Elizabeth Cain – Executive Director, Exchange Place Alliance
• Kristin DeAngelis – Community Outreach Director, Mana Contemporary
• Jenna Geiger – Owner, Deep Space Gallery
• Christine Goodman – Director, Jersey City’s Office of Cultural Affairs
• Robinson Holloway – Executive Director, Art Fair 14C
• Johannah Hutchison – Executive Director, International Sculpture Center
• Bryant Small – Co-President, Pro Arts
• MacAdam Smith – Executive Director, Jersey City Arts Council
• Alysis Vasquez – CEO, MMFB Productions
• Michelle Vitale – Director of Cultural Affairs, Hudson County Community College

Beginning today, applications are available online for the Art Fair 14C portion of the October event.  For JCAST, applications will be made available online in May.