NJPAC Arts Education Programs to Begin Fall Semester
Courses span acting, musical theater, hip hop arts, technical theater, and jazz training for elementary and high school students.
Registration is open for the new season of Arts Education programs at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). The fall semester of Saturday Arts Training programs for elementary and high school students runs October 3 — Dec 12, 2026.
Students at every level can learn the artistic and technical skills needed to succeed in the performing arts and in technical theater production. Classes are taught by professional Teaching Artists — including some GRAMMY Award winners — who are notable performers in the fields they teach.
Due to overwhelming demand, Musical Theater, Acting and Jeffrey Carollo & Frank Calabrese Music Scholarship are at capacity. Limited spaces remain in Hip Hop Arts & Culture, Backstage Pathways and the music performance programs of Band Together and the highly regarded TD Jazz for Teens.
For new musicians, Band Together offers instruction in how to play a musical instrument; class fees ($100 per year) include the cost of instrument rental.
TD Jazz for Teens is a nationally-recognized training ground for emerging jazz artists. A performance video and music theory test are required for placement in this class.
Intersection Kids, an exploration of the performing arts for children ages 7 — 8, takes place at 5:30 – 7PM on Tuesday evenings. Now in its second year, this introduction to multiple art forms utilizes imaginative play and explores storytelling through sound and movement.
For classical musicians, the Jeffrey Carollo & Frank Calabrese Music Scholarship program is conservatory-style music instruction, supported by the MCJ Amelior Foundation and Harold I. & Faye B. Liss Foundation. The jazz and classical music programs include lessons in ensemble performance, the music business and professional readiness.
For young artists who prefer working behind the scenes, Backstage Pathways (ages 14 — 18) is a hands-on program in technical theater and live concert production. Students gain professional experience in shop safety; set design; and lighting, audio and video work. Supported by The Devils Youth Foundation, Backstage Pathways is a partnership with RECORD HIGH, a program that provides educational tools and career resources for youth interested in careers in the music and entertainment industry.
In addition to nurturing creativity and talent, NJPAC Research and Evaluation has demonstrated that Arts Training programs strengthen children's social and emotional well-being.
'At NJPAC, our programs go beyond the stage — they build confidence and life skills young people carry with them everywhere,' says Dr. Sherri-Ann Butterfield, Senior Vice President, Social Impact. 'We are also building a pipeline of talent — our young artists are earning admission to prestigious conservatories and universities and into careers as skilled performing artists.'
Students in the Saturday Arts Training programs can opt into free wrap-around programs affiliated with the Ed Hajim Professional Readiness Program, which provides tools to strengthen life skills that support their art and prepare them for college, careers and community impact.
For example, students can elect to participate in Creative Coaching, which pairs students with Teaching Artists for personalized mentorship. In the Mix is a civic engagement program to develop leadership skills, and the Creator's Room is a series of conversations and workshops on career paths in the arts.
Arts Training programs will be held at Arts High School (550 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) and 31 Mulberry St. (the temporary home of the Center for Arts Education) while construction is underway on the Cooperman Family Arts Education and Community Center. When the Cooperman Center opens in 2027, the 58,000-square-foot building will include classrooms, a children's arts reading room and a specially-designed space for teaching technical theater skills.
The Arts Training programs are part of the Colton Institute for Training and Research in the Arts which leverages the arts to benefit the communities of Greater Newark.
No student is turned away for financial reasons. Class descriptions and further details are available at njpac.org/education.
Generous support for Arts Training is provided by The Devil's Youth Foundation, F.M. Kirby Foundation, M&T Bank, Merck Foundation, The Hearst Foundations, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, NJ Advance Media, NJM Insurance, TD, Turrell Fund, Valley Bank, Victoria Foundation, WBGO Jazz 88.3FM, Women@NJPAC, the Joan and Allen Bildner Family Fund, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc., The Arts Education Endowment Fund in honor of Raymond C. Chambers, Jennifer A. Chalsty, Judy and Stewart Colton, Toby and Leon Cooperman, Mimi and Edwin Feliciano, Edmund A. Hajim, The Izzo Family, Don Katz & Leslie Larson+, McCrane Foundation, Inc., care of Margrit McCrane, The MCJ Amelior Foundation, Albert+ and Katharine Merck+, Pershing Square Philanthropies, David & Marian Rocker, The Sagner Companies/The Sagner Family Foundation, Joyce and George Wein Foundation and an anonymous donor. (+deceased)
About NJPAC
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), a nonprofit arts organization, is a collaborative leader in Newark's cultural and civic life, a catalyst of the city's revitalization and a champion of its artistic spirit. The Arts Center produces and presents world-class performances by music, dance, spoken word poetry and comedy artists, and hosts insightful conversations with creators and changemakers, on its own stages and in venues across the region. Through real estate development, NJPAC advances Newark's economic growth and cultural vitality. In addition, the Arts Center collaborates with local partners to deliver social impact initiatives that nurture the well-being and creativity of the communities it serves. These offerings include arts education and career development opportunities for students and educators, programs that support community health and well-being through the arts and free creative experiences in neighborhoods across Newark and throughout the state. NJPAC has attracted more than 13 million visitors (including more than two million children) since opening its doors in 1997. Visit njpac.org for more information.
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