Mercer County Teen Arts Festival Provides Path to State Festival

Teenage students in local middle and high schools can begin their path to the revived New Jersey State Teen Arts Festival during the 2016 Mercer County Teen Arts Festival, a comprehensive arts education program that takes place on Friday, May 13 at Mercer County College in West Windsor.

“Mercer County has many remarkably talented young people, and the Teen Arts Festival gives them an opportunity to display their work to a wide audience and get positive feedback from professionals in the art world,” Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes said.

This year’s Mercer County event is directly tied to the State Teen Arts Festival, which will return in June and be held at Ocean County College.

Students who excel in their particular art form at the county level are selected to be showcased at the state festival, where thousands of dollars in scholarships will be awarded.

Participation in the Mercer County Teen Arts Festival is required in order for local students to be a part of the state event.

Joseph Kuzemka, event director of Art All Night Trenton and curator of the popular Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market, will serve as this year’s Mercer County Teen Arts Festival coordinator.

“Joseph Kuzemka has a strong background in programming artistic events,” Hughes said. “We’re confident he’ll bring new ideas and energy that will make this year’s festival better than ever.”

The Teen Arts Festival helps students hone skills, gain cultural awareness, and develop personal aesthetic values through participation in performance seminars, classes and workshops in art, dance, drama, vocal and instrumental music, film and creative writing. Students benefit by interacting with artistic professionals from throughout the region who offer instruction and helpful feedback.

Participation is free and open to all teenage middle and high school students in Mercer County public, private, parochial and home-schooling environments.

For more information on how to get involved, e-mail teenarts@mercercounty.org or call 609-989-6060.