Newark Museum Of Art Supports Mayor's Effort To Combat COVID-19

Newark NJ

15 December, 2020

1:50 PM

Description

NEWARK, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of a Newark Patch community member. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. The Newark Museum of Art is aiding the City of Newark in an effort to further prevent the spread of COVID-19 and promote mask wearing with the launch of "Wear One, Create One" campaign. This public health initiative—a unique undertaking for any cultural institution—combines a fun, creative experience with the all-important need to wear a face mask. Starting on Monday, December 14, the Museum will distribute a total of 10,000 free masks to Newark residents across all five of the city's wards. Masks will be distributed through a dedicated street team as well as partner organizations such as the hunger relief network, MEND. Masks will be available while supplies last. The Newark Museum of Art is calling for all those who receive a face mask to also embrace their inner artist to create their own design for a mask. Once the design is complete, residents are encouraged to take a photo of the face mask and submit it to the Museum on its Instagram channel @newarkmuseumart, adding hashtags #MaskUpNewark and #NewarkMuseumMask. The Museum will feature submitted designs on their online channels. A select few photo submissions of the custom masks will be displayed at the Museum when it reopens to visitors in early 2021. To help spark the imagination of residents, the Museum produced a DIY "Art on the Floor" video to provide inspiration in designing a mask. It can be found on the Museum's YouTube channel. In addition, one mask representing each of the five Wards of Newark will be selected and a contribution will be made to a food bank in each Ward in the name of the individual who designed the mask. "The Newark Museum of Art is a vital partner of the community and we are grateful for its efforts to help combat this pandemic that has hit the city of Newark especially hard," said Ras J. Baraka, mayor of the City of Newark. "While we must remain vigilant and do what is necessary to limit the spread and contain the virus, it is also important that we maintain space for creative self-expression in these trying times." "For more than 100 years, the Museum has been intrinsically intertwined into the heartbeat of Newark, and while our doors remain closed for the safety of all, our hearts remain open to all in our community," said Linda C. Harrison, director and CEO of The Newark Museum of Art. "We simply cannot stand by as infection rates in the city continue to soar." "Newark Arts is thrilled that The Newark Museum of Arts has ignited the #MaskUpNewark by inviting the public to make their own fun, artistic masks. The Museum has gone even further by converting its outdoor space into an open-air advertisement for mask-wearing. The arts are a source of solutions and inspiration during these challenging times!" said Jeremy Johnson, Executive Director of Newark Arts. Support for the "Wear One. Create One." initiative was made possible in part by PSEG Foundation and The Healthcare Foundation of NJ. Founded in 1909, The Newark Museum of Art is the largest art and education institution in New Jersey and one of the most influential museums in the United States. Its renowned global art collections, supported by significant holdings of science, technology and natural history, rank 12th among North America's art museums. The Museum is dedicated to artistic excellence, education, and community engagement with an overarching commitment to broadening and diversifying arts participation. As it has for over a century, the Museum responds to the evolving needs and interests of the diverse audiences it serves by providing exhibitions, programming and resources designed to improve and enrich people's lives. The Museum also encompasses the 1885 Ballantine House mansion, the Victoria Hall of Science, the Alice and Leonard Dreyfuss Planetarium, the MakerSPACE, the Billy Johnson Auditorium, the Alice Ransom Dreyfuss Memorial Garden, the 1784 Schoolhouse, and the Newark Fire Museum. The Newark Museum of Art, a not-for-profit museum of art and science, receives operating support from the City of Newark, the State of New Jersey, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/ Department of State (a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts), the New Jersey Cultural Trust, the Prudential Foundation, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Victoria Foundation, the Estate of Phyllis and Sanford Bolton, the Wallace Foundation, and other corporations, foundations, and individuals. Funds for acquisitions and activities other than operations are provided by members and other contributors. The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, created in 1966, is a division of the NJ Department of State. The Council was established to encourage and foster public interest in the arts; enlarge public and private resources devoted to the arts; promote freedom of expression in the arts; and facilitate the inclusion of art in every public building in New Jersey. The Council receives direct appropriations from the State of New Jersey through a dedicated, renewable Hotel/Motel Occupancy fee, as well as competitive grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. Please visit www.artscouncil.nj.gov. Don't forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page. Send local news tips and correction requests to [email protected]