Creativity, Self-Expression Take The Spotlight At Monmouth Teen Arts Festival

MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ — Self-expression and creativity were at the forefront of Monmouth Arts’ 2025 Teen Arts Festival, an annual celebration of teen artists throughout the county who gather to showcase their work and learn from professional artists in their field.

The two-day festival, which took place at Brookdale Community College on March 20 and 21 this year, aims to celebrate the work of Monmouth County's teen artists and give them a chance to participate in workshops and adjudications with other students and field professionals.

Students of various grades can participate in the festival, and the art forms covered range from creative writing to visual art, dance, musical theater, choir, band, and more.

In addition to the festival adjudications (where professional artists review a student’s art or performances with them), participants can also go to various workshops and drop-in activities hosted throughout the day.

Jewelry Making, Art Journaling, Improv High School League, Disney Magic Through Song, and The Connection of Rhythm, Vocals & Movement are just some of the workshops that were offered at Teen Arts this year.

“The excitement around this year’s festival was truly electric,” said Sandy Riddle, the festival coordinator and Monmouth Arts’ arts education and events director. “The talent, passion, and dedication these students bring to the event is nothing short of inspiring. Their support for one another and the creative energy they generate over these two days is simply magical.”

This year, the festival theme centered around “Power of Pop,” which aims to capture “the essence of contemporary experiences and interests, creating an engaging platform for all participants to express their creativity,” according to the Monmouth Arts website.

The theme not only influenced workshops and art prompts at the festival, but also provided inspiration for student art submissions and performances:

“I’ve been coming to Teen Arts for four or five years now,” said Robyn Schindler, a professional artist at the festival and the owner and lead therapist of Paint the Stars Art Therapy.

“I absolutely love it,” Schindler continued. “I love getting to meet all the different teens throughout Monmouth County and seeing how talented they are. But most importantly, I love offering them this space just to be creative and to chill, because I can see so many of them need it when they come in here.”

As an art therapist, Schindler utilizes art therapy as a means of working through various mental health issues, emotions, family and peer issues, trauma, grief and more.

For this year’s Teen Arts Festival, she led the “Creative Expressions: The Story of My Life” workshop, where participants were invited to create a book cover representing their life story and help the reader understand where they're coming from or what story they need to tell.

“When they [the students] come in here and just kind of sit down and relax, they feel that vibe,” Schindler said. “It’s really nice to see them in that moment relaxing and enjoying themselves. The whole festival is incredible and it just showcases what these teens are capable of and how important the arts are.”

The importance of art and arts education is a cornerstone of the Teen Arts Festival.

For students throughout Monmouth County, the festival is not only a yearly tradition where they can learn from professionals in their artistic field, but it’s also a place where they can be themselves and meet other student artists.

Throughout the day, participants wander Brookdale's campus to try new art forms, workshops, and to cheer on their fellow festival participants. Creativity is key at Teen Arts, along with a supportive community.

“The Monmouth Arts Teen Arts Festival celebrates creativity, expression, and the limitless potential of young artists,” said Teresa Staub, Monmouth Arts executive director. “Monmouth Arts is proud to create a space where teens can share their voices, develop their talents, and inspire one another.”

“Thank you to our sponsors, advertisers, artists, and volunteers who made this year's festival possible. Their support inspires and nurtures the next generation of creatives,” Staub continued. “Special thanks to Brookdale Community College for hosting the event.”

To learn more about the Teen Arts Festival, you can visit the Monmouth Arts website.