NJPAC to Host CREATING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES Convening October 14–16

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine (UFCAM) will present the third Creating Healthy Communities (CHC) convening, running October 14–16, 2025, at NJPAC (One Center Street, Newark). Registration is open now.

The triannual event brings together hundreds of artists, arts organizations, public health and healthcare professionals, civic leaders, and community organizers to explore how arts and culture can strengthen public health, equity, and community well-being. This marks the first time the CHC convening will take place in New Jersey.

“We’re an Arts Center leading by example with innovative programs that spark creativity to improve the well-being of people and neighborhoods across the state,” said Dr. Sherri-Ann Butterfield, Senior Vice President of Social Impact at NJPAC. “We’re proud to host New Jersey’s first Creating Healthy Communities convening and to welcome hundreds of changemakers to our campus for effective collaborations on leveraging the arts to build community wellness.”

Keynote speakers include Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, former Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts and an expert in urban planning and cultural policy (October 15), and Marc Bamuthi Joseph, award-winning spoken word artist, librettist, and former Vice President of Social Impact at The Kennedy Center (October 16). Both will offer perspectives on the transformative power of art in shaping inclusive, resilient communities.

Throughout the three-day gathering, participants will engage in presentations, breakout sessions, and creative activities across Greater Newark. Topics include the economic impact of arts in health, arts participation as a health behavior, and the positioning of arts and culture as social determinants of health. Attendees will explore best practices in arts prescribing, participate in networking sessions, and enjoy a special Well-being Concert produced by Carnegie Hall.

“Creating Healthy Communities is more than a convening—it’s a catalytic space where artists, public health professionals, community leaders, and policymakers come together to imagine and activate new possibilities for health and well-being through the arts,” said Dr. Jill Sonke, Director of Research Initiatives at the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine.

Discounted early registration has been extended through July 31, 2025. Use code EARLYBIRD to save $70 on registration. Group rates of $400 per registrant and student rates of $250 are available by emailing mfinkelstein@njpac.org. More than 200 reduced or no-fee registrations are also available through the support of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the Pabst Steinmetz Foundation. Applications are due by August 15, 2025.

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