The Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs serves as the catalyst for participation, education, collaboration, and development to encourage and support excellence in the arts within the City of Newark. This division oversees the city's arts initiatives, supports community engagement in arts and cultural programming, provides organizational support to existing and evolving art institutions, oversees a world-class public art program, and encourages collaborative partnerships and investment in the city's artists and arts and cultural organizations. It supports the creation of a more sustainable, equitable, inclusive, and creative economy in Newark that enlivens our neighborhoods and ignites the imaginations of our children.
Trust for Public Land, the City of Newark’s Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs, and partners invite artists and artist teams to submit qualifications and conceptual proposals to serve as the Public Artist In Residence for Broadway Park, a new two-acre neighborhood park in Newark’s North Ward.
The selected artist will collaborate with project partners and the surrounding community to develop a cohesive series of permanent public art elements that reflect the park’s identity and community vision. Building upon years of resident engagement, the artist will expand on the creative groundwork established through the park’s design process, integrating artwork into key park features, potentially including:
1. Entrance post caps
2. Decorative metal guardrail panels
3. Decorative tile installations
Broadway Park is located between Broadway and Oraton Street, adjacent to Luis Muñoz Marín School. Long envisioned by residents and the City of Newark as a neighborhood green space, the site remained largely vacant for decades despite strong community interest in its transformation. Opening in Summer 2027, the park reclaims this long underutilized property as a hub for recreation, learning, gathering, and community life.
The park is the result of a collaborative planning process led by the Trust for Public Land, Davies Toews Architecture, PARC Foundation, and the City of Newark in partnership with local residents, schools, and community organizations.
Throughout the design process, students from Luis Muñoz Marín School and Elliott Street School helped shape the park through workshops and engagement activities, ensuring that youth voicesplayed a meaningful role in its development. Trust for Public Land also partnered with neighborhood organizations and leaders, including La Casa de Don Pedro, Ahavas Shalom, FOCUS Hispanic Center for Community Development, the Newark Police Department’s Second Precinct, the Riverside Tenants Association, Jannah on Grafton, the Office of Councilman Anibal Ramos Jr., and numerous other community stakeholders.
Broadway Park will provide much-needed access to quality green space for more than 7,200 nearby residents, including over 2,200 children under the age of 20. As an extension of the adjacent school campus and surrounding neighborhood, the park is envisioned as a welcoming place where recreation, culture, community, and nature come together—creating opportunities for connection across generations.
The public art program is an integral part of that vision. Artists are encouraged to create work that celebrates the neighborhood’s distinct character and shared future, responding to the community-developed themes of recreation, community, culture, comfort, and access.
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DEADLINE: Monday, December 14th, 2026, Midnight
INFORMATION MEETING: November 9, 2026, 5 - 7pm. [RSVP Here]
ARTIST HONORARIUM: $25,000
Additional Budget For Production And Community Engagement (See Artist Brief)
BRIEF: Download Here
The City of Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs is inviting building owners, developers, and stakeholders to contribute to the city’s public art program. You can support public art by donating space, funding projects, or providing other in-kind resources as part of your development.
Your participation helps bring inspiring, accessible art to communities across Newark while enhancing your property and development projects. Contributions of any size are welcome, and donations may be eligible for tax benefits. Please complete this form to indicate your interest and share details about how you’d like to contribute.