About Express Newark



Mission

Express Newark is a center for art, design, and digital storytelling in Newark, NJ, where people co-create and collaborate to advocate for social change.

Our Histories

In the spirit of adaptive reuse, Express Newark opened in 2017 as a 50,000-square-foot art space in the recently restored Hahne & Company, a 500,000-square-foot building that was the former iconic department store. Express Newark was also created in response to a broader and more recent mandate. Over the last decade, in the wake of the financial crash, several small to midsize galleries, many of which were BIPOC-led and pivotal to the city’s artistic ecosystem, had to close due to funding cuts. The result of those closures has been a decrease in the diversity of art leadership in the city and the looming threat that the work these institutions did, together and on their own, to develop artists and the communities in which they resided would be entirely forgotten or permanently lost.

Our Values

At Express Newark, we utilize a hybrid model that brings together Rutgers faculty, staff, and community artists to enrich our public programs, exhibitions, workshops, and classes. This collaborative approach fosters a vibrant cultural environment, ensuring that diverse voices and perspectives are represented, making art accessible and relevant to all.

We are committed to empowering individuals through meaningful learning experiences that promote creativity and critical thinking. By nurturing talent and fostering connections within the community, we celebrate the transformative power of art and its ability to inspire positive change.

Our Space

Centered around an amphitheater staircase, the space was designed to be dynamic, open, and welcoming. Community members have full access to numerous art galleries, meeting spaces, learning labs, and art studios— 3D design printing, audio, and video production, a letterpress, a portrait photography studio, and a jazz institute— that comprise its three floors.


Team

The Express Newark team is made up of a diverse mix of administrators, creative practitioners, scholars, and activists. Every staff member is actively involved in some form of a creative or community practice, creating a dynamic synergy where all play a vital role in shaping and realizing our mission and vision.

Inayah Bashir

Outreach Coordinator, Express Newark

Anonda Bell

Director & Chief Curator, Paul Robeson Galleries

Karen Bernard

Museum Registrar, Paul Robeson Galleries

Jennifer Bernstein

Co-Director, Design Consortium

Sébastien Denis

Technical Manager, Community Media Center

Ned Drew

Founding Director, Design Consortium

Brooke Finister

Program Coordinator, New Arts Justice

Juan Giraldo

Head Preparator, Paul Robeson Galleries

Thyquel Halley

Administrative & Communications Coordinator, Humanities Action Lab

Stefon Harris

Director, Harmony Lab

Tyler Kaneshiro

Harmony Lab

Bryant Lebron

Gallery Administrator, Paul Robeson Galleries

Yucef Mayes

Outreach Consultant, Community Media Center

Kristina Micu

Program Coordinator, Newest Americans

Devyn Nunez

Technical Coordinator, SHINE Portrait Studio

Timothy Raphael

Co-Founder & Director, Newest Americans

Keary Rosen

Founding Director, Form Design Studio & Lab

Liz Sevcenko

Director, Humanities Action Lab

Yvonne Shirley

Director, Community Media Center

Michael Stachiw

Technical Director, Video Production and Community Media Center, Express Newark

Pat Sweeting

Administrative Coordinator, Express Newark

Gwen Thomas

Business Specialist, Express Newark

Wayne Winborne

Executive Director, Institute of Jazz Studies


Studios

Our building houses a variety of studios and initiatives that harness art and activism as powerful tools for social engagement and meaningful change. Each project contributes to the vibrant energy of the space and aligns with the overarching mission of Express Newark.


For Press

Requests for imagery, interviews, or other information requests can be directed to Florie Hutchinson at florie.hutchinson@gmail.com.


Contact Us

Phone Number
973-353-0791

General Inquiries
express.newark@newark.rutgers.edu

Press Inquiries
Florie Hutchinson
florie.hutchinson@gmail.com