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Lauren Craig

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Courtesy of the Newark Downtown District, photographer Daniel Weintraub (@halopigg)

October means the Open Doors Citywide Arts Festival!

Featured programming, including two premium events, to round out the weekend

Newark, NJ – September 13, 2016 – October means the Open Doors Citywide Arts Festival! Newark Arts takes pride in the fact that the Open Doors Citywide Arts Festival continues to be a free and inclusive event for its 10,000 patrons and guests, providing complimentary access to Newark's bevy of cultural institutions, diverse arts community and rich creative programming. Now in its fifteenth year, along with a complete schedule of exhibits, pop ups and more, Open Doors Citywide Arts Festival will host five featured events throughout the weekend, two of which are premium events for those stakeholders that are interested in getting more exclusive experience, at a great price.

Featured programming includes:

  • Open Doors Opening Reception, Wed. October 19, 2016, 6 to 9 pm, Newark Museum, 49 Washington St. Newark

Let's toast to fifteen years of Open Doors! Network, sip and celebrate with fellow art enthusiasts at a cocktail reception featuring a not-to-be-missed keynote by internationally renowned cultural innovator, Monica Montgomery, in her Newark debut. A limited amount of tickets are available now for just $25! Tickets ->

  • Open Doors Public Launch Party and Vendors Fair, Thurs. October 20, 2016, 5:30 – 8:30 pm, Prudential Center Championship Plaza, Edison Pl. at Mulberry St., Newark

Join the entire Newark Arts community as we activate Prudential Center's Championship Plaza with an open-air vendor’s fair featuring gorgeous hand-crafted items, exciting live entertainment, tantalizing food trucks and so much more. The best part: it's FREE! It’s easy to see why this public launch party is one of this year's most anticipated events! Register ->

  • Open Doors Friday Night Gallery Crawl, Fri. October 21, 2016, 5 to 9 pm

There's more to explore at our annual citywide Gallery Crawl! Hop from gallery to gallery via our complimentary shuttles while taking in everything from paintings to poetry. With over 40 venues under the Open Doors umbrella, get ready to experience amazing entertainment, lively conversation and free fun for all alongside Newark’s Creative Class. Free transportation with RSVP.

Register ->

  • Murals and Martinis™: An Open Doors Public Art Tour, Sat. October 22, 2016, 11am to 3 pm

Take a shuttle bus ride with a decidedly downtown vibe and explore the city Newark Arts-style! This two-hour guided mural tour, including the longest mural on the East Coast and a performance by Storyboard P at the Newark Allery, ends with an after party at Redd's Biergarten featuring complimentary light bites, special drink offers and a round on the house. All for just $35! Grab your ticket before they go!

Tickets ->

  • Open Doors Sunday Open Studio Tour, Sun. October 23, 2016, 11 am to 4 pm

It's an insider's guide to all of Newark Arts! Gain exclusive access to over 100 private artists' studios and experience art-in-action during this FREE Open Studio Tour. Visitors from near and far can take a look behind the scenes of local artistry while connecting with both emerging and established creatives in the Newark community. Free transportation with RSVP.

Register ->

As always, Open Doors Citywide Arts Festival will provide stellar free programming, installations and sites throughout the weekend including Thursday evening’s exciting Open Doors Public Launch Party at Prudential Center’s Championship Plaza, an Animodules exhibit at PSE&G Plaza and the mile-long Gateways to Newark mural on McCarter Highway. Ready to experience it all? Sign up for your free All-Festival Pass!

  • Open Doors All-Festival Pass

Hundreds of artists, twenty countries, forty-five tours and exhibits, fifty special events, over one hundred open studios, and ONE GREAT CITY! The Open Doors All-Festival Pass is your complimentary passport to the very best of Newark Arts. Register for your FREE pass and experience an entire weekend of programming including installations, performances, exhibits and tours showcasing Newark's diverse, rich and bustling artistic community. (The Open Doors All-Festival Pass does NOT provide access to the Open Doors Opening Reception or Murals and Martinis™)

Register ->

Don’t miss the most exciting Open Doors Citywide Arts Festival yet!

About Open Doors Citywide Arts Festival

Open Doors Citywide Arts Festival, Newark Arts’ signature celebration of the arts, will take place from October 19-23, 2016 in Newark, New Jersey. Over five inspiring days, Newark’s bustling arts scene will explode with an awe-inspiring array of exhibits, screenings, workshops, artist talks, performances, readings, open houses and more! Over 300 artists from twenty countries and 40 venues will join forces to showcase visual, performing, and literary art under the Open Doors umbrella, as we celebrate Newark’s unique and diverse contribution to the arts and the American fabric. Kicking off on Wednesday, October 19th with a VIP Opening Reception at the Newark Museum featuring compelling keynote speaker, Monica Montgomery, the weekend will include a public launch party at Prudential Center’s Championship Plaza on Thursday, October 20th, a guided tour of public art entitled “Murals and Martinis™” on Saturday, October 22nd, curated gallery crawls, after parties and more. Stay tuned to newarkarts.org/opendoorsfor a complete schedule of events.

About the Newark Arts Council

The Newark Arts Council is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization created to advance and expand the artistic and cultural resources of theCity of Newark, New Jersey. The Council’s missionis to bring the transformative power of the arts into the lives of those who live in, work in, and visit Newark. The Council is the umbrella for the Newark Arts Education Roundtable (NAER) and is a partner with the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Development, Arts, and Tourism. The Council awards neighborhood grants through its ArtStart program and sponsors the citywide Open Doors Festival every October. For more information, visit

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