For 25 years, the Newark Arts Festival has created space for artists to be seen, celebrated and experienced. This year, we asked: What is the purpose that propels you to create?

On Purpose: The 25th Anniversary Exhibition brings together over 70 artists whose work responds to that question in distinctly personal ways. Across disciplines, perspectives and practices, the exhibition considers the ideas, experiences, identities and convictions that move artists beyond inspiration and into the act of making.

Presented by Newark Arts Council in collaboration with Express Newark, On Purpose reflects both the breadth of contemporary artistic practice and the creative community that has shaped the Newark Arts Festival over the last quarter century. Together, these artists offer no single definition of purpose. Instead, their work reveals purpose as something lived, questioned, discovered and continually made.

Join us in celebrating 25 years of the Newark Arts Festival and the artists who continue to give us new ways to see ourselves, our city and the world around us.

Featured artists: Jabril Abdullah-Davis, Judyann Affronti, Happiness Akaniro, Charity Derby Akeiti, Rachel Fawn Alban, Luis Alves, Tetteh Anansi, Kervin Andre, Gregg Banks, Yasmine Barboza, Josephine Barreiro, Tanisha Best AKA Dear Newark, Grei Booker, Tasha Branham, Cathleen McCoy Bristol, Allison V Brown, Simone Bailey Campbell, Stella Chang, Sandra Charlap, Kris Charlery, Caren King Choi, April Cooper, Victor L Davson, Joan Diamond, Chima Dennis Dike, Margaret El, Giovanna Eley, Antoinette Ellis-Williams, Maria Luis Estrela, Saniyah Fareed-Nobles, Ricardo Osmondo Francis, Claryssa Forde, Rashid Gaines, Sumana Ghosh-Witherspoon, Juan Giraldo, Jaz Graf, Serron Green, Alexander Guzman, Tina “Nudgo” Hill, Manman Huang, David James, Veda Kagabo, Emily Konopinski, Aaliyah Lambert, Cecilia Lamptey-Botchway, Gabrielle Lansner, Laura Lou Levy, Sue Ellen Leys, Tina Maneca, Beau McCall, Devin Monet, Kween Moore, Colin Mura-Smith, Mansa K. Mussa, paulA neves, Kelly Niceley, Modupue Odusote, Tolu Olasoji, Pam Owens, Oscar Peterson, Ron EA Powel, Lillian Ribeiro, Robert Richardson, Sindy Sanchez, Ameerah Shabazz, Onnie Strother, Eesha Suntai, Orchid Sylvester, Amanda J Thackray, Nette Forné Thomas, Vazquez, Heather Williams, Stafford Woods, Gwen Yip, Juno Zago

This event is free to attend, with a suggested donation to Newark Arts Council.

Your donation directly supports our work to create programs, platforms and opportunities for Newark artists throughout the year. Every contribution helps us continue investing in the artists and creative community that make Newark Arts Festival possible.

Choose the donation amount that feels right for you. Your support helps keep the arts in Newark growing.

The 25th Newark Arts Festival is powered by Newark Arts Council and supported by: Prudential, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, City of Newark, Newark Arts and Education District, Newark Alliance, Hanini Group, Express Newark, The Newark Museum of Art, NJPAC, Russo Development, Edison Properties, Newark City Parks Foundation, Arts Ed Newark and Newark Public Schools.

For more information and the full NAF2026 lineup, visit NewarkArtsFestival.com