The Newark Arts Festival 2022 (NAF22) launched with the theme of Artful Healing on Thursday, October 6th through Sunday, October 9th. The annual event featured a line-up of national and local artists of all disciplines who unite in Newark to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the city through arts venues and arts experiences. Newark Board of Education utilized its ground level at 765 Broad Street and opened its doors during the festival with an exhibit featuring Newark student artwork. The exhibit’s theme, Art As Medicine, aligned with NAF22s theme of Artful Healing.
Newark students attending the NBOE Arts High School Visual Arts Culture Creators program and the Middle School Summer Visual and Performing Arts Academy, participated in visual arts classes at Arts High School where they manifested visions from their imagination post pandemic. The Young Artists were selected to spend 5 weeks in the summer program and were guided under the tutelage of NBOE Visual Art Educators. The 25 students channeled their inner artist as they interacted with themes, methods, and materials to produce the original artworks featured in the exhibit.