Presented by: City of Newark Office of Homeless Services In Partnership with the Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs, with the support of Newark Alliance, and Project for Empty Space.

Join us on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 from 4 – 8pm, at JFK Recreational Center (211 W Kinney St, Newark, NJ 07103) for Creating Home Together, a community art-making event dedicated to uplifting Newark’s houseless community. This initiative invites artists of all backgrounds and skill levels to create over 200 unique artworks that will bring warmth and beauty to new housing developments for individuals transitioning out of homelessness. It supports Mayor Ras J. Baraka’s The Path Home Program and its mission to provide a direct path to stability for the City’s most vulnerable.

Artists will gather to create their pieces side by side. Upon arrival, participants can select their canvas and tools, with creative prompts and still lifes available for inspiration. The center will be filled with live music from local DJs, spoken word and performances.

This event is made possible through limited funding and the generosity of local partners. If you would like to contribute or support this initiative, we welcome your help in making a lasting impact.—let’s create home together!

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Participation Details:
Who Can Participate: This initiative welcomes artists of all ages and skill levels, including professional artists, students, and enthusiastic/talented community members. Everyone is invited.

Materials Provided: All essential materials will be supplied, including canvases, paints, brushes, and other necessary supplies to facilitate the creative process.

Donations Welcome: We encourage community members and local businesses to contribute to this initiative. Donations of canvases of any size, paint, application materials, and completed artwork (including framed photography, drawings, and mixed media pieces) that align with our mission are greatly appreciated to enhance this collective effort.

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About Our Partners:
City of Newark Office of Homeless Services
Mayor Ras J. Baraka and the Newark Municipal Council created through legislation the Office of Homeless Services in 2022 to provide services for residents at risk of homelessness, those experiencing homelessness, and lead initiatives and projects that aim to address homelessness in the City of Newark.

In December of 2022, the Mayor along with public and private partners launched Newark’s first Homelessness Strategic Plan. This plan was developed with support from consumers, community partners, business leaders, and stakeholders and focuses on key strategies that will reduce street homelessness, improve the shelter system, and expand housing. Learn more at www.newarknj.gov/departments/thepathhome.

City of Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs
The Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs serves as a catalyst for participation, education, collaboration, and development to promote excellence in the arts within the City of Newark. Responsible for overseeing the city’s arts initiatives, the division supports community engagement in cultural programming and events, provides organizational support to both established and emerging art institutions, and develops a world-class public art program. It fosters collaborative partnerships and investment in Newark’s artists and cultural organizations while working to create a more sustainable, equitable, and inclusive creative economy—one that enlivens neighborhoods and inspires the next generation. Learn more at www.newarknj.gov/departments/arts-and-cultural-affairs

Newark Alliance
The Newark Alliance, through the combined strength and collaboration of its members, drives inclusive economic growth for all of Newark. Our members comprise Newark’s premier businesses, anchor institutions, and community partners, including Fortune 500 companies, top universities, developers, hospitals, and arts institutions. The Alliance and its Members work collaboratively to cement Newark’s status as one of America’s most diverse, prosperous, exciting, and equitable cities. Learn more at www.newark-alliance.org.

Project for Empty Space
Project for Empty Space (PES) is a multifaceted arts organization that includes Exhibitions, Artists Residencies, Public Art initiatives, subsidized Artist Studios, and Artist Professional Development/Granting opportunities. Our programs lean into social discourse, including narratives that have been historically and systemically erased. We strive to course-correct historic instances of forced marginality, in-equity, and in-visibility. Today, in our efforts to support socially-oriented artists, we maintain a commitment to holding space for both looking back and looking to new potentials and futures. Learn more at www.projectforemptyspace.org