Express Newark

Join us for the week of June 1st, 2026 from 5-8pm, in The Drawing Room @ Paul Robeson Galleries at Express Newark for a Collage Workshop with @kimmah_dennis Layered Stories is a 5-day series designed as independent, drop-in sessions, each offering a complete collage-making experience. Participants can attend one day or all five, exploring different themes, techniques, and approaches to collage without needing prior attendance or experience. Each Date is free and open to the public. RSVP at the link in bio. Images Courtesy of the Artist

*Apply Today!* The Art of Listening Summer Intensive is a workshop free of charge for musicians looking to deepen their listening skills and all-around artistry. Participants will work directly with Stefon Harris utilizing his revolutionary app, Harmony Cloud, to learn his unique Melodic Progression Ear Training and Theory System. Vocalists will work with Alicia Olatuja following her vocal authenticity training through vocal mastery techniques and mindset mentorship for singers and non-singers alike. Together we will take a deep dive into the world of organized sound and increase our ability to be articulate and empathetic musicians. Applications Due May 18th: /event/the-art-of-listening-summer-intensive/ Contact us: [email protected] *Testimonials* “Beautiful, incredible – thank you so much for this opportunity.” – I.K. “It was such an invaluable experience! I feel so lucky to have participated in this, and being around this group of musicians reminded me why I’m on this journey in the first place!” – A.C. “Stefon is a master artist and teacher. This was one of the best workshops I have ever been a part of.” – T.Z.

Step into a reimagined salon for the 21st century with an immersive event that blurs the boundaries between performer and audience. Monday, April 20th, 2026 at 6:00 PM, Join ChamberQUEER for a one-night-only transformation of Express Newark’s Drawing Room into a vibrant, inclusive salon space for the 21st century. Inspired by historic “withdrawing rooms” as sites of intimacy, reflection, and intellectual exchange, this immersive event reimagines the classical concert as a radically welcoming gathering. Blurring the boundaries between performer and audience, the evening invites you to move freely, listen deeply, and engage with music in a setting where the art studio meets the comfort and energy of a shared living room. Rooted in the idea of social sculpture, art shaped through collective participation, this is a concert experience where your presence is part of the work. The program centers the voices of women and non-binary composers across time, tracing a lineage from the 19th-century salon to today’s evolving “salon culture.” At the heart of the evening is Clara Schumann’s Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 17, a powerful and expressive work that highlights her enduring brilliance. Surrounding this centerpiece are intimate chamber works by composers including Jessie Montgomery, Eve Beglarian, Stephanie Leotsakos, Jennifer Higdon, and Margaret Bonds. Together, these works create a rich, intergenerational dialogue that reclaims and amplifies voices historically excluded from the classical canon. In the spirit of salon culture as a space of political and creative empowerment, ChamberQUEER “queers” traditional concert norms by dismantling rigid etiquette, rethinking dress codes, and inviting audiences to engage on their own terms. Whether you sit, stand, wander, or reflect, you are part of a shared experience that is intimate, dynamic, and deeply human. This is more than a concert, it’s a reimagining of what music can be: participatory, expansive, and rooted in community. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP at the link in bio.

Join us in Paul Robeson Galleries @ Express Newark for a magical, hour-long performance on Monday, April 13th (2:30-3:30pm) with the acclaimed poet Haleh Liza Gafori @halehliza , whose two volumes of translated poetry by the thirteenth-century sage Rumi (NYRB Classics) have been internationally lauded for their lyricism, vibrancy, and resonance with our contemporary social and political moment. Additionally, from 11:30am-12:30pm Garfori will lead a small workshop on poetry, music, and translation in SHINE Portrait Studio for interested undergraduate and graduate students. If you would like to attend, please email Kate Doyle at [email protected] This performance is part of the Cultural Programming Grant and hosted by Rutgers University-Newark’s Department of Arts, Culture and Media, (ACM) and SHINE Portrait Studio @ Express Newark. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP at the link in bio. Images Courtesy of the Artist

JOIN US!!! The Spring 2026 DESIGN SENSE Lecture Series presents: Designer, Typographer, Letterpress Printer and Writer Rick Griffith ( @rickgriffith ) Tuesday, March 31 4:00-6:00pm EXPRESS NEWARK - Lecture Hall 54 Halsey Street, 2nd Floor Newark, New Jersey, 07102 ( @expressnewark ) FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Refreshment will be served * RSVP: Link In Bio * ➖ RICK GRIFFITH has been a fixture in Denver’s creative sector since 1996. A former Denver Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, he is the founder of MATTER, a design consultancy, print shop, and bookstore/venue supporting an intersectional community of designers, activists, and thinkers. For over 25 years, his practice has challenged traditional boundaries through collaborative, pluralistic work. He lectures globally on design, ethics, and typography, and his work is held in collections including the Denver Art Museum, Poster House, Columbia University, and the Letterform Archive. ➖ DESIGN SENSE fosters diverse perspectives and experiences, sparking conversations around design that prioritize public engagement and social impact. The LECTURE SERIES covers a wide array of design topics, aiming to inspire students, faculty, and Newark residents involved in creative and socially engaged endeavors. ➖ The lecture series is organized by Rutgers University-Newark’s Design Programs at Express Newark, and supported through Express Newark’s educational initiatives. DESIGN-SENSE presenting Rick Griffith announcements designed by Melanie Lescano ( @mela.y_y ) ➖ Contributing faculty: Jennifer Bernstein ( @jennifer_bernstein ) Ned Drew ( @neddrew ) Chanta Fischzang ( @chantista ) Anthony Alvarez ( @anthonyalvarezphoto )

🔗 in bio STARTING MARCH 31 Documentary Foundations Led by Yvonne Michelle Shirley + Vanessa Blake 6 Sessions: TUESDAYS Mar 31, Apr 7, 14, 21, May 12, 19 6:00pm - 9:00pm Express Newark 54 Halsey Street 2nd Fl Newark, NJ 07102 Rm 408 Production Studio Build the foundation to create the documentary you’ve been imagining! Join us for this 6-session workshop to launch your documentary project. Participants will gain practical training in documentary best practices, including researching, and visual storytelling. Emphasis is also placed on creating an ethical environment for you and your collaborators. Participants will be coached to: Develop a comprehensive research and development plan Identify compelling story, characters Create a production plan and workflow Create a work sample Create a professional pitch deck for sharing their project. Applicants must submit a one-page description of their project to be considered for participation. 🔗 in bio Yvonne Michelle Shirley is a filmmaker working in both documentary and narrative forms. She produced and directed the digital series, Frame by Frame, for TOPIC Studios, which premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival. She also produced the Sundance 2019 documentary short, Black 14, directed by Darius Clark Monroe and executive produced by Spike Lee. Yvonne has directed and produced non-fiction work for New York Times’ T Magazine, Nike, and AFROPUNK. In 2019 she was named to DOC NYC’s 40 Under 40 list. She is Director of the Community Media Center at Express Newark. Vanessa Blake is a dynamic artist who primarily uses film and photography as her mediums of expression. Her work has been showcased in numerous public art installations, including Express Newark’s Things We Do in The Dark: Cinematic Experiments in Kinship, Blues People, and Carroussa Sonare, a sound installation. Vanessa has created works for The Newark Museum, The Newark Public Library, along with independent short films and feature projects. Image from film Miasia: The Nature of Experience (2017) courtesy of the filmmaker

🔗 in bio FRIDAY MARCH 13 6PM-8:30PM The Bigger Picture: Visions of Ben Jones Film Screening + Discussion Refreshments will be served Join us for a screening of the new documentary film The Bigger Picture: Visions of Ben Jones and discussion with artist, Ben F. Jones, and filmmaker, Souleyman Garcia! The Bigger Picture: Visions of Ben Jones is a documentary film that offers a compelling exploration into the importance of art as a catalyst for change and revolution in an inequitable world. The Bigger Picture examines these themes through the unique lens of the artist Ben F. Jones, a 1963 William Paterson University graduate and New Jersey City University Professor emeritus of art. For over six decades, he has explored global, social and political issues, showing the connections between racism, capitalism and the environment through a bold and visual style. Through his extensive body of work, we explore the complexities of Imperial history and its legacy. The film illuminates the connected narratives from the UK, USA and Cuba, that have been historically marginalized or suppressed. 🔗 in bio

Join us on March 12th, 2026 from 6-8pm, in SHINE Portrait Studio at Express Newark for an Artist Talk with Melissa Alcena @melalcena who will talk on her photography practice that ranges from the personal to the commercial. This Artist Talk is part of the Visiting Artist series hosted by Rutgers University-Newark’s Fine Art Program, Department of Arts, Culture and Media, (ACM) and SHINE Portrait Studio @ Express Newark. The Visiting Artist series connects students, staff, faculty, and the greater Newark community in the spirit of co-learning and co-creation, with insight into contemporary art practices, the creative process, and the evolving art landscape. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP at the link in bio. Images Courtesy of the Artist

PES, in partnership with SHINE Portrait Studio (@shine_portraitstudio ), is proud to announce the launch of “In Search of the Spirit House,” a new artbook by Interdisciplinary artist and PES AIR alumna, Adama Delphine Fawundu (@adamadelphine )!👏 The artbook is 10” x 10,” 136 pgs., digitally printed, with open spine. Pre-Order your copy and RSVP via 🔗 link in bio! 🎉 The publication will debut on March 31, 2026, from 6–8 PM with a celebratory launch event at 📍 Express Newark, 54 Halsey Street, Newark, NJ (@expressnewark ). The evening will feature a conversation with fayemi shakur (@fayemi_ ), Director of the City of Newark’s Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs, highlighting the themes of the book and Fawundu’s relationship to the city. 🗣️ “Working on this book affirmed the sustaining power of ‘the village.’ The community I encountered here renewed my connection to Newark and opened the door to a deeper, ongoing engagement to the city and its people.” - Adama Delphine Fawundu 📖 “In Search of the Spirit House” reveals the spiritual unfolding of Fawundu’s artistic practice in Newark, shaped by decades of dialogue, collaboration, and cultural stewardship. Deeply inspired by the enduring energy and legacy of Amiri and Amina Baraka’s Spirit House, the book reflects on how artistic work emerges through place and community. Founded in 1966 at 33 Stirling Street, the Spirit House was a revolutionary convening space and sanctuary for Black theatre, music, poetry, and political discourse. Active through 1980, it became a vital site for cultural transformation and remains a touchstone in Newark’s artistic history. 🏙️ Drawing from this lineage, Fawundu’s publication explores her evolving relationship with Newark: artist to artist, artist to community, and artist to institution. The book weaves together personal reflection with collective memory, examining how sustained engagement with a city generates creative momentum and responsibility across generations. Learn more at 📲 /spirithousebook

Join us this upcoming Thursday, February 26th, 2026 from 6pm - 9pm, in Drawing Room at Express Newark’s Paul Robeson Gallery for a night of music and live figure drawing with a performance and creative direction by Jessica Phoenix @theladyphoenix95 featuring Tay @rightontimetay RSVP at the link in bio!

Center Stage: Monologue Slam is bringing powerful monologues, local performers, and Black theatrical voices to the stage during Black History Month. Curated by Camille Upshaw (@cmillieee ) and presented by Newark Arts Council in partnership with Express Newark! February 19 | 6-8 PM | Express Newark, Room 408 To RSVP, or for more information, click the link in our bio. Love, Newark Arts 🩷 #newarkarts #newarkisforartists #njtalent #njtheatre #monologueslam

Join us on February 19th, 2026 from 6-8pm, in SHINE Portrait Studio at Express Newark for an Artist Talk with Esteban del Valle @estebandelvalle112 who will talk on his interdisciplinary practice which ranges from video and animation, to drawings public murals both locally and internationally. This Artist Talk is part of the Visiting Artist series hosted by Rutgers University-Newark’s Fine Art Program, Department of Arts, Culture and Media, (ACM) and SHINE Portrait Studio @ Express Newark. The Visiting Artist series connects students, staff, faculty, and the greater Newark community in the spirit of co-learning and co-creation, with insight into contemporary art practices, the creative process, and the evolving art landscape. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP at the link in bio. Images Courtesy of the Artist