“Joy is an act of resistance.” - Toi Derricotte 

At the Newark Arts Festival 2025, JOY is embraced as a radical creative force that uplifts, sustains, and sparks transformation. Ode to Joy brings this vision to life through a focused presentation of six artists at The Newark Museum of Art. This shift from past years -streamlined rather than expansive - creates space for audiences to enter into a deeper dialogue with the works and the ideas they hold. 

Though varied in medium and approach, the artists gathered here are bound by a shared commitment to joy as both pleasure and defiance. Their works draw from histories of feminism, migration, and identity, transforming personal and collective narratives into aesthetic experiences that celebrate resilience. In their hands, joy is never fleeting; it is layered, hard-won, and generative. 

Through painting, sculpture, assemblage, and social practice, Ode to Joy affirms that joy is more than an emotion. It is a connective state of being - an enduring current that nurtures imagination, fortifies community, and inspires reflection and celebration of our shared humanity. 

EVENT DETAILS: 
Date & Time: October 8 | 6PM - 11 PM (during Gold Ball Reception)
Location: Newark Museum of Art | 49 Washington St.
Newark, NJ
Admission: With Gold Ball Ticket