ESSEX COUNTY TEEN ARTS FESTIVAL

SAVE THE DATE MARCH 23, 2024!

NEW FOR 2024-All Arts Festival!

Break the mold at the 2024 Essex County Teen Arts Festival! On Saturday, March 23, 2024, join us for a day-long festival that celebrates the arts. We welcome Essex County Teens to participate in classes and workshops dedicated to fine and performing arts. They also have the opportunity to meet other artists and their peers from across the county. The visual art pieces that have been submitted for adjudication will also be on display during the festival.

Essex County Teen Arts Festival welcomes high schools, individual students that reside in Essex County, and home-schooled students to participate. This year’s festival will take place at Essex County Payne Tech on West Market Street in Newark. Space is limited; register early for this event.

This year’s theme is “Break The Mold.” Submit your best work that shows us how art can break the mold and inspire new ideas.

I am proud of the skill and creativity that our students exhibit in the arts, whether it’s on stage, in the studio or in the gallery. Our Essex County Teen Arts Festival is an opportunity to showcase the talent found in our 22 municipalities and share it with the public. We look forward to our teenage artists participating in this exciting event.

Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.
Essex County Executive
and the Board of County Commissioners

Have your artwork evaluated by art professionals!

The Essex County Division of Cultural and Historical Affairs is pleased to host an exciting opportunity for teens. Essex County high school, individual, and home-schooled students are invited to submit original works of visual art to be evaluated by art professionals. These professionals will act as judges of the work, giving the students constructive criticism so that they can grow and develop as artists.Be sure to submit a work that meets with this year’s theme: Break The Mold.

You may enter as an individual student or through your teacher and school.

Submissions are due by Friday, February 9, 2024.
Adjudications will be completed by Friday, March 22, 2024.
Submit your work in our online portal!

Each year, 20 pieces from Essex County are nominated to be included in the NJ State Teen Arts Festival that takes place in June. An online gallery of the works that will represent Essex County at the State Festival will be available in April.

Essex County

Teen Arts Festival

Visual Art Submission Guidelines

Visual Art Submission Forms

Teen Arts Festival Registration

Fees

Submission Guidelines

INDIVIDUAL STUDENT

Each student/individual is allowed 1 entry.
Photos must be jpegs or png, 300 dpi is recommended, but not required.
Essex County Teen Arts will allow one photo per 2D work and two photos per 3D work.
Google forms or sheets will NOT be accepted.
Individual submission files should be named as follows: “Independent_Work Title_Student Name” (For example: Independent_Pieta_SallySmith.jpg).
Forms must be submitted by a parent or guardian.
Works will be adjudicated per piece of artwork. Essex County Department of Cultural and Historic Affairs staff will deliver review sheets to a parent or guardian of individual student.
Artwork can measure no more than 4′ (48″; 122 cm).
Each artwork submitted for adjudication can be displayed at the in-person Festival. Teachers, parents, or guardians are responsible for dropping off and picking up artwork. Artwork will be disposed of if it is not collected by June 30, 2024.

TEACHER ENTRIES

The number of works each school is allowed to submit is based on school size. Please refer to the chart below.
Each student is allowed only one entry.
If your students have produced a collaborative piece, you must contact the Event Manager, Maressa McFarlane, via email at mmcfarlane@parks.essexcountynj.org or 973-735-6231 prior to submission.
Photos must be jpegs or png, 300 dpi is recommended, but not required.
Essex County Teen Arts will allow one photo per 2D work and two photos per 3D work.
Google forms or sheets will NOT be accepted.
School submission files should be named as follows: School Name_Work Title_Student Name (For example: Main High School_Mona Lisa_Taylor Smith.jpg).
Forms must be submitted by teachers or school coordinators.
Works will be adjudicated per piece of artwork. Essex County Department of Cultural and Historic Affairs staff will deliver review sheets to school coordinators.
Artwork can measure no more than 4′ (48″; 122 cm).
Each artwork submitted for adjudication can be displayed at the in-person Festival. Teachers, parents, or guardians are responsible for dropping off and picking up artwork .Artwork will be disposed of if it is not collected by June 30, 2024.

Registration for Visual Arts

Art work submission will open Friday, January 5, 2024!

The submission forms will close on Friday, February 9, 2024!

Click the button to register and submit your artwork:

Individual Submission Here!

Teachers Submission Here!

Made possible by funds from the Essex County Division of Cultural Affairs, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

2024 DEADLINES AND IMPORTANT DATES
Visual Art Submission Opens: January 5
Festival Registration Opens: January 19
Visual Art Submission Closes: February 9
Festival Registration Closes: March 1
Festival Date: March 23
Visual Art Evaluation Forms Available: March 29
Online Gallery Available: April 5
NJ State Teen Arts Festival: June 4-6

2024 REGISTRATION ALLOWANCE & FEES

School Size/Individual	Total Allowed Submissions	FEE
INDEPENDENT ENTRY (1)	1 Submission	Fees Are Waived
GROUP 1 & 2 SCHOOLS	15 Submissions	Fees Are Waived
GROUP 3 SCHOOLS	20 Submissions	Fees Are Waived
GROUP 4 SCHOOLS	25 Submissions	Fees Are Waived

Teem Arts Festival Registration

Essex County Payne Tech
498-544 West Market St.
Newark, NJ 07107

Saturday, March 24, 2024
*Fees are waived this year

Space is limited. Individual students interested in attending should contact the event manager below.

Any questions, please email Maressa McFarlane, Event Manager, at mmcfarlane@parks.essexcountynj.org