A downtown arts center supporting cultural and economic renewal
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents world-class performers, promotes local artists, and provides arts education and community space in Newark. An arts complex with a social conscience, NJPAC includes two performances venues, rehearsal spaces, social spaces, special events rental space, and the Lucent Technology Center for Arts Education, which includes classrooms, practice rooms, and performance spaces for students. An outdoor plaza connects the center to the street, and a 1,700-space parking garage and nearby mass transit stations provide easy access to the center.
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s breadth and vision provides an exemplary model for other cities undertaking mega-projects, demonstrating the feasibility of major development that maintains commitments to local residents.
2001 Selection Committee
Open since 1997, NJPAC has been an important engine of cultural and economic renewal in America’s third oldest city. It has helped improve the reputation and image of Newark and contributed to a new sense of community pride.