“WISDOM”: This work by Pat McLean-Smith is featured in “Manifesting Beloved Community,” on view through March 1 at West Windsor Arts in West Windsor Township.

For the fourth consecutive year, West Windsor Arts, in partnership with Art Against Racism, invited artists to present their vision of an equitable and caring world, one not tainted by the misjustices of structural racism. Their artworks are now on display at the arts center in an exhibition called “Manifesting Beloved Community,” inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s global vision of a nonviolent, love-centered world without poverty, hunger and social injustice. Throughout his lifetime, King spoke of a healed planet.

“We are honoring Dr. King’s legacy with this exhibition, which will be on display through March 1,” says Aylin Green, executive director of West Windsor Arts. “Each year, we also sponsor a day of service on the MLK holiday so that volunteers are surrounded by the impactful work of this show as they package donations to be given to local service organizations.”  more

TRASHED ART CONTEST: Artists and artwork from the TrashedArt 2024 Contest are shown at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System. Art in this year’s contest will be on display in March and April.

In March and April, art will be displayed for the 16th Annual TrashedArt Contest at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System (MCLS). Patrons will have a chance to view photographs of the artwork and vote for the “People’s Choice” awards in-person at each of the nine branches and virtually on the MCLS’ website. Winners will be announced at the TrashedArt Contest Reception at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch on Tuesday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m.

“The TrashedArt Contest celebrates Earth Day by encouraging our residents to turn ordinary trash into extraordinary art,” said County Executive Dan Benson. “I’m thrilled that Mercer County Libraries can continue to host this contest, and I can’t wait to see what creative works our contestants produce.” more

GUEST FLUTIST: Patrick Williams, associate principal flutist of The Philadelphia Orchestra, will perform with the Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey on January 19 at Kendall Hall, The College of New Jersey, Ewing.

The Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey (YOCJ) will hold its Winter Large Ensemble Concert on Sunday, January 19 at 8 p.m. with YOCJ’s Symphonic Orchestra featuring soloist Patrick Williams, associate principal flutist of The Philadelphia Orchestra, at Kendall Hall, the College of New Jersey, Ewing.

The YOCJ’s Saxophone Choir will also perform at that concert. Earlier in the day, at 3 p.m., the Wind Symphony, Sinfonietta String Orchestra, and Pro Arte Orchestra will play. more

David Lang
(Photo by Peter Serling)

On Tuesday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m., The Crossing, a three-time Grammy Award-winning chamber choir, performs David Lang’s poor hymnal at Richardson Auditorium. The concert is presented by McCarter Theatre.

In poor hymnal, Lang wonders “if the hymns of a community that did not want to forget our responsibilities to each other, and that wanted to make our responsibilities to each other the central tenet of our coming together, might be different from the hymns that we are singing now.”

Premiered in December 2023 in Philadelphia, the concert-length work immediately entered The Crossing’s canon. Lang is a winner of the Pulitzer, Grammy, Bessie, and Obie awards, and an Academy Award nominee. A co-founder of the Bang on a Can collective, his work has been performed at concert halls and theaters around the world, including numerous times at Lincoln Center.

Tickets are $43-$68. Visit Mccarter.org.

With his friend violinist Leila Josefowicz by his side, Princeton Symphony Orchestra Music Director Rossen Milanov was surprised by a birthday cake rolled on stage at the start of his 60th birthday concert at Richardson Auditorium on Saturday, January 11. Before starting the program of music by Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky, the orchestra and Josefowicz also performed “Happy Birthday” with the audience joining in.

ART MAKING AT ACP: The Arts Council of Princeton will honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day with an art-making workshop led by artist Tamara Torres on Monday, January 20 from 1 to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to all ages.

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) will honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day with an art-making workshop, food drive, and community gathering, free and open to all ages.

In this workshop, artist Tamara Torres will lead participants to explore color’s varying effects on emotions and, together, discuss ways to express feelings through abstract art. Participants will spend 10 minutes to create freely on a sheet of paper, allowing themselves to express their feelings without the constraints of perfection, rules, or judgment. Afterward, they’ll be challenged to tear up their paper and use the pieces to create a new collage that represents a different perspective, transforming it into something new. This exercise encourages conversations about changing perspectives and looking at things in a fresh way.  more

“ON A SHORT LEASH”: This acrylic painting is featured in “Charles David Viera: Selected Works 2006-2025,” on view January 24 to March 30 at the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie. An opening reception is on January 25 from 4 to 6 p.m.

The Trenton City Museum at the Ellarslie will present “Charles David Viera: Selected Works 2006-2025,” on view January 24 to March 30. The exhibition will feature works selected by Joan Perkes and Janis Purcell from Viera’s paintings and drawings created from 2006 to the present. The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, January 25 from 4 to 6 p.m.

The artworks chosen include a variety of paintings and pastel drawings from this versatile artist,  some of which have never been exhibited locally before and several acquired from personal collections.  more

“YOUTH ART EXHIBITION” Anagha Kannurpatti of Council Rock High School North in Newtown, Pa., took First Place in the Works on Paper category for “Illumination” in last year’s student exhibition at the Phillips’ Mill Community Association.

Twelve years after its debut, the “Youth Art Exhibition” at Phillips’ Mill Community Association continues to showcase the artwork of area high school students. It will be on view at the historic mill on weekends January 26 through February 16, from 12 to 4 p.m. The show can also be viewed online at www.phillipsmill.org/art/youth-art-exhibition.

Art teachers at 24 area high schools curate the artwork, submitting paintings, works on paper, photography, digital art, and 3-dimensional work. The schools participating this year are Central Bucks High School East, Central Bucks High School West, Central Bucks High School South, Council Rock High School North, Council Rock High School South, Ewing High School, George School, Hillsborough High School, Holy Ghost Preparatory School, Hopewell Valley Central High School, Hunterdon Central Regional High School, Neshaminy High School, New Hope-Solebury High School, Notre Dame High School, Pennsbury High School, Princeton Day School, Solebury School, Stuart Country Day School, The Hun School, The Pennington School, Upper Dublin High School, West Windsor-Plainsboro North, West Windsor-Plainsboro South, and Villa Victoria. more

This oil painting by Mike Mann is featured in “Trio,” his joint exhibition with Judith Marchand and David Horowitz, on view through March 3 at the Green Building Center, 67 Bridge Street, Lambertville.

TRIPLE THREAT: Actress, singer, and dancer Sutton Foster comes to the State Theatre New Jersey on January 31. The Tony Award-winning artist will perform from her extensive Broadway catalog. (Photo by Jenny Anderson)

State Theatre New Jersey presents “An Evening with Sutton Foster” on Friday, January 31 at 8 p.m. Foster will perform songs from her Broadway hits including The Music Man, Anything Goes, and Sweeney Todd. Tickets range from $39-$69.

Foster most recently starred in the Broadway revival of Once Upon a Mattress, reprising the role after leading the New York City Center Encores! adaptation. Prior, Foster starred as Mrs. Lovett in the Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opposite Aaron Tveit.

Foster starred as Marian Paroo in the 2022 Broadway Revival of The Music Man, earning her seventh Tony Award nomination and the 2022 Drama League Distinguished Performance Award. more

CREEPY AND KOOKY: “The Addams Family” musical brings Gomez, Morticia, and the rest of the clan to State Theatre New Jersey January 24-26. (Pamela Raith Photography)

State Theatre New Jersey presents the musical comedy The Addams Family for four performances on Friday, January 24 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, January 25 at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, January 26 at 2 p.m.

Following the show on January 24, there is a cast party with food, music, and giveaways in the STNJ Studio. Tickets for the cast party are $10. Show tickets range from $40-$105. more

“MONIZA”: This painting by Mari Keeler Cornwell is featured in “Unwavering Grace,” on view January 18 through February 15 in the Considine Gallery at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart. An opening reception is on January 18 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, the all-girls independent day school for PS-12 at 1200 Stuart Road, has announced its upcoming winter gallery exhibition, “Unwavering Grace,” featuring the work of artist and Stuart alumna Mari Keeler Cornwell ’96. The exhibit will showcase Cornwell’s evocative acrylic paintings that celebrate the strength, resilience, and unique stories of women from diverse backgrounds.

“Mari’s show exemplifies Stuart’s commitment to fostering creativity and empowering voices through art,” said Andres Duque, gallery director. “Her work not only highlights her artistic mastery, but also reflects the powerful influence of the women who have inspired her life and career.”

 more

Artworks Trenton has announced an upcoming exhibition, “Clifford Ward: I’ll Make Me a World, prologue.” It will run February 1 through April 12, with an opening reception on February 1 from 6 to 9 p.m., offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience Ward’s artwork.

The exhibition brings together selected works from multiple series of works by Ward, celebrating the intersection of his artistic journey with the imaginative and forward-looking spirit of Afrofuturism. Curated by Addison Vincent, artistic director of Artworks Trenton, this exhibition represents a unique collaboration between Artworks Trenton and Grounds For Sculpture (GFS), located in Hamilton. The Artworks Trenton exhibition is a first look at select pieces to be featured in GFS’ upcoming exhibition, “Clifford Ward: I’ll Make Me a World.” The exhibition at GFS is guest curated by Noah Smalls and will be on view in its Museum Building from May 18 to January 11, 2026. Expanding on the Artworks Trenton exhibition, GFS will display Ward’s work in a larger context, revealing the complete narrative and the interconnectedness of his greater oeuvre. more

The Princeton Public Library is is seeking submissions of art of all types for “Our Natural World in 8×8: An Art and Poetry Exhibition.”

Artwork of any type, inspired by an original poem or one that is in the public domain, may be submitted through March 1. Entries should be 8-by-8 inches in dimension or be able to stand on an 8-by-8-inch surface.

Selected works from three age categories, adults included, will be displayed in the Main Lobby April 1-21 to coincide with the Princeton Environmental Film Festival and Earth Day.

All types of art are welcome including painting, drawing, sketching, sculpture, mosaic, and collage. The use of recycled or repurposed, environmentally friendly materials is strongly recommended.
For additional details and an entry form, visit princetonlibrary.org/PEFF.

“DUAL NATURE”: Beatrice Bork’s “Winter Nap” and Joe Kazimierczyk’s “Whispering Sky” will be on view January 19 to February 28 at the Tulpehaking Nature Center in Hamilton. An opening reception is on January 26 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

Tulpehaking Nature Center at Abbott Marshlands invites art enthusiasts and nature lovers alike to “Dual Nature,” an art exhibition that explores nature from two distinct perspectives. Featuring the work of animal artist Beatrice Bork and landscape artist Joe Kazimierczyk, “Dual Nature” will be on view January 19 through February 28.

In “Dual Nature,” both artists reveal their unique approaches to capturing the natural world, bringing together Bork’s watercolor wildlife portraits and Kazimierczyk’s oil landscapes. Bork, known for her expertise in capturing the spirit and beauty of animals, relies on firsthand observation in the field to inspire her works, creating narratives that invite viewers into the intimate lives of her subjects. Her meticulous watercolors highlight the essence of the animals she observes, blending detailed renderings with expressive backgrounds that evoke a sense of the spiritual and poetic, seamlessly merging precision with artistic sensitivity.  more

NAZI-ERA DISCOVERY: This photo from the New York Theatre Workshop’s production of “Here There Are Blueberries” shows one of several haunting moments from the play, which is coming to McCarter Theatre January 24-February 9. (Photography by Matthew Murphy)

The national tour of the play Here There Are Blueberries, a co-production with La Jolla Playhouse, comes to McCarter Theatre January 24-February 9. A Pulitzer Prize finalist for 2024, the play is by Moises Kaufman and Amanda Gronich.

The play is focused on a mysterious album featuring Nazi-era photographs that arrive at the desk of a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum archivist in 2007. As curators unraveled the shocking truth behind the images, the album soon made headlines and set off a debate that reverberated far beyond the museum walls. more

VIRTUOSIC FIDDLING: Violinist and fiddler Mari Black comes to Christ Congregation Church on January 17 at 8 p.m. (Photo by Glenn Black)

On Friday, January 17 at 8 p.m., the Princeton Folk Music Society presents an evening of virtuosic violin music with multistyle violinist and champion fiddler Mari Black. The concert is at Christ Congregation Church, 50 Walnut Lane.

Black is known as a master of diverse musical styles and winner of several major international competitions, playing global dance music: Celtic, American, and Canadian fiddling; jazz, tango, and klezmer tunes; original works; and more. A guitarist and a bass player round out Black’s trio. more

Judy Torres

State Theatre New Jersey and Fever Records present “Freestyle Flashback 2025,” featuring freestyle artists from the ’80s and’90s, on Saturday, January 18 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $39-$99.

This concert event features dance-pop and freestyle artists including  TKA (“Maria,” “Come Baby Come”), George LaMond (“Bad of the Heart, “Look Into My Eyes”) Judy Torres (“No Reason To Cry,” “Come Into My Arms”), Noel (“Silent Morning”), Cynthia (“Change On Me,” “Dreamboy Dreamgirl”), Betty D Of Sweet Sensation (“Hooked On You,” “Love Child”), Lisette Melendez (“Together Forever,” “A Day in My Life”), Soave (“Crying Over You”), C-Bank (“One More Shot,” “I Won’t Stop Loving You”), and Joe Zangie (“When I Want You Back”).

Freestyle Flashback is hosted by Sal Abbatiello from Fever Records and Speedy with music by DJ Whiteboy KYS.

State Theatre New Jersey is at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick. For tickets, more information, or group discounts, call at 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit online STNJ.org.

With performances of The Nutcracker finished for the season, American Repertory Ballet will next focus on Spirit of the Highlands, a ballet by artistic director Ethan Stiefel set for performances at New Brunswick Performing Arts Center March 7-9.

Based on the classic La Sylphide, the ballet reimagines the tale of a Scotsman’s romantic pursuit of a mystical forest spirit. According to information from the company, “Steifel traces his mother’s family roots back to the Scottish Highland Clan Munro, and will infuse his own authentic Scottish heritage into the choreography and overall design aesthetics of this lively and bewitching ballet.”

Stiefel will partner once again with scenic designer Howard C. Jones, costume designer Janessa Cornell Unwin, and lighting designer Joseph Walls. more

“HANGRY HIPPO”: This work by Judith Marchand is part of “Trio,” on view January 2 through March 3 at the Green Building Center in Lambertville. An opening reception is on January 4 from 5 to 8 p.m.

The “Trio” art show will open with a reception on Saturday, January 4 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Green Building Center at 67 Bridge Street, Lambertville. Visitors can enjoy two floors of artwork by Modern Fossils (Judith Marchand and David Horowitz), David Horowitz Studio, and Mike Mann’s Art. Light refreshments will be served.

The artists said they are happy to exhibit their art in a gallery space provided by an organization that shares their love for our Earth. Marchand and Horowitz both create their work with salvaged materials. Mann’s paintings reflect the beauty of the region, and he travels by bicycle to paint whenever possible. The artists will donate and plant a native tree for every piece sold at their show.  more