MY SIGNATURE: MY DECLARATION and THE QUILT TRAIL to Open in Hackensack

The Hackensack Performing Arts Center (HACPAC) has announced Illumination 250's public interactive art exhibitions, My Signature: My Declaration and The Quilt Trail, are on display and open to the public to view in Hackensack, New Jersey throughout the fall.

Illumination 250 is a project of the Hackensack Performing Arts Center (HAPAC), in partnership with the Northern NJ Community Foundation's (NNJCF) ArtsBergen, Hackensack Main Street Business Alliance (MSBA), Greater Bergen Community Action (GBCA), and the City of Hackensack, supported by funding through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority's (NJEDA) Activation, Revitalization, and Transformation (A.R.T.) – Phase II Grant Program. HACPAC was one of 39 organizations awarded funding from the NJEDA's $15 million investment supporting arts and cultural programming throughout New Jersey.

The day-long, regional cultural arts celebration observed America's Semiquincentennial anniversary on October 3. Live performances, cultural programming, and interactive art installations spotlighted the City of Hackensack's diverse communities and drove foot traffic to local businesses. The celebration expanded beyond the annual HACKENSACKtoberfest from Atlantic Street Park to multiple downtown locations—Anderson Street Park, Banta Place, Demarest Place, and the Courthouse Green.

My Signature: My Declaration and The Quilt Trail Exhibitions

The art exhibitions, My Signature: My Declaration and The Quilt Trail opened on October 3, as part of Illumination 250, a full-day festivity. The public is invited to visit these art displays in Hackensack: 

My Signature: My Declaration, Light Installation and Large-Scale Projection, 9:00 p.m. to Midnight., at The Historic Green, 42 Court Street, Hackensack, New Jersey. Artist Leni Schwendinger Light Projects created a large-scale light and music installation and a digital projection on The Historic Green in Hackensack. See this installation on display on the Green, as it transforms into an immersive celebration of America's 250th anniversary daily through Monday, October 26 and illuminated nightly from sunset to midnight.

Set on the grounds where George Washington and the Continental Army camped during the Revolutionary War, this multisensory experience celebrates both our nation's history and the present-day declarations shaping its future. Inspired by the courageous signatories that supported the Declaration of Independence, this original artwork invites visitors to reflect on the power of personal commitment, community, and democracy. Wander among dozens of illuminated sculptures etched with the signatures and personal declarations of community members and local artists, while listening to a soundscape woven together from melodies contributed by local musicians.

 The Quilt Trail at Anderson Street Park, Ongoing through November 16, 2026. Anderson Street Park transform the green space into a vibrant celebration of Hackensack's history. Inspired by quilting and textile traditions from diverse cultures, artist Kate Eggleston designed the installation using bold colors, playful patterns, and three recurring forms: eyes, arches, and triangles. Together, these forms create a visual language centered on connection and belonging. The Quilt Trail creates an immersive fiber art experience that celebrates heritage, creativity, and the power of art to bring people together.

Illumination 250 Highlights

Illumination 250 brought together a team of nationally and internationally recognized artists whose work transformed public spaces into unforgettable community experiences. Processional Arts Workshop, Improv Everywhere, Nocturnal Medicine, and others worked alongside Hackensack residents, local artists, businesses, and cultural organizations to develop original works inspired by the city's history, diversity, and shared stories. Their participatory, interactive artworks and experiences incorporated community voices to shape a once-in-a-generation festivity. The public experienced these works reflecting the County Seat's spirit, while also commemorating America's 250th anniversary. 

The festival featured six unique experiences across Downtown Hackensack. The celebration's program presented live music, a giant puppet procession, an immersive fiber art installation, cultural folk performances, live music, food trucks, vendors, and a citywide audio adventure told through Revolutionary War history. The festivities culminated in a light display, illuminating the County Courthouse and transforming Hackensack's Historic Green Bergen, one of New Jersey's oldest public squares, into an unforgettable landscape.

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