Octavius Catto School, Courtesy: Symphony in C
The Council has a longstanding goal to ensure all New Jerseyans have access to quality, lifelong arts experiences and education. The Council works with an array of partners to place teaching artists and arts programs in schools and community settings, supports training for educators and artists, and participates in regional and national affinity groups to ensure New Jersey remains at the forefront of arts education and lifelong learning.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts is pleased to announce the launch of The Transformative Power of Art: A Guide to Arts Learning for Systems-Impacted Youth in New Jersey. This guide will support teaching artists, arts providers, and arts- and community-based organizations who engage with systems- and justice-impacted youth. Join the Arts Council as we dive into this workbook and highlight organizations and artists in New Jersey who are serving youth through the arts.
View The Transformative Power of Art: A Guide for Arts Learning for Systems-Impacted Youth in New Jersey.
In support of the guide’s release, the Arts Council will be hosting a one-time webinar dedicated to advancing the quality of arts engagement for justice- and systems-impacted youth. To register, click here.
The Transformative Power of Art
April 20, 2025 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
For questions about this program, contact Samantha Patel Clarke.
Poetry Out Loud (POL) is a national poetry recitation program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and implemented by state and jurisdictional arts councils across the country. The Council sponsors NJPOL and works closely with Count Basie Center for the Arts and a network of partners to maximize the impact of the program. POL encourages the nation’s youth to learn about poetry through memorization and performance, while gaining public speaking skills, building self-confidence, and learning about their literary heritage. All NJ public, charter, private, and parochial high schools, and home school associations are invited to participate. NJPOL can be facilitated in school classrooms, after school, through community organizations, and libraries by a teacher, teaching artist, or program facilitator.
Joy Ogunsakin, a senior from Trinity Hall in Tinton Falls, was named State Champion at the 2026 New Jersey Poetry Out Loud State Finals, at Count Basie Center for the Arts on March 3, 2026. Evelynn Knox, a sophomore from Henry Hudson Regional School in Highlands earned the title of State Runner-Up. Joy will represent New Jersey at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington D.C. on April 27 - 29, 2026. State Champions will compete for the national Poetry Out Loud title and the chance to win prizes, including college scholarships. For details about the Poetry Out Loud National Finals visit poetryoutloud.org.
For questions about this program, contact NJPOL Coordinator Kenya Bullock.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts is hosting quarterly Teaching Artist Community of Practice meetings. These virtual sessions serve as a platform for teaching artists to share their experiences, discuss new opportunities, and connect with each other and the State Arts Council. Through loosely moderated discussions, the sessions provide an opportunity to network with other New Jersey teaching artists, share challenges and successes of working in the state, and discuss what teaching artistry could look like as we move into the future.
Upcoming Meetings
July 1, 2026 | 9:30 – 10:30 PM | REGISTER
For questions about this program, contact Samantha Patel Clarke.
Official Site of The State of New Jersey