The Metuchen Arts & Music Festival Committee has decided to move away from the traditional one-day Fine Art street and Music festival to focus on achieving a larger vision for Arts in the Borough. This decision was made after a great deal of consideration and reflection, and is the right one if we are to continue successfully supporting and growing a vibrant arts community to preserve the energy of our amazing community of volunteers who make it all happen.
As widely recognized by community
members, public officials, and the press, the Metuchen Arts scene has grown and flourished during the past decade. Four permanent visual arts galleries have been established, public art is cropping up, and local venues are offering frequent live music. Businesses are partnering with local artists in presenting both performing and visual arts, the new Plaza in the center of town is quickly becoming a hub of cultural activity, and planning for the Arts District – with The Forum Theatre as its center – is underway.
In 2007, the Junebug Arts Fest Committee was created out of a unique partnership between the
Metuchen Arts Council and the Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce to meet several different goals. One goal was to foster an appreciation for the arts in residents of all ages; another was to bring foot traffic to the downtown core. Both of these goals have clearly been met, and quite successfully. We are now at a point where there is enough support and enthusiasm for those arts activities featured during the Festival that they could be held throughout the year, instead of one annual festival, where they have the strength to grow into their own stand-alone events.
One goal of the Metuchen Arts Council is improving the networking
between local arts organizations and promoting local artists themselves. Our area is home to a wealth of artistic talent, providing asource of strength that brings more and more vibrancy to our community. This renewed focus also allows the Chamber to adapt its efforts more towards supporting the creative professionals who are such an important aspect of Metuchen’s economic success.
Many, if not most, of the activities that comprised the Junebug and METFEST events will continue in different formats and as stand-alone events. For more information about the many wonderful events and initiatives being planned for
2019 and beyond, visit www.metuchenarts.com.
Onward and ARTWARD!
Robert Diken, Chair, Metuchen Arts Council
Tyreen Reuter, Executive Director of the Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce
A beautiful 90-page, full-color art book, brimming with memories, and ten years of fun! It features gorgeous photos by five professional photographers who, for 40 nights of Junebug, have documented the event, with commentary by artists and musicians, participants, visitors, and volunteers.
The Metuchen Artfest is proudly cohosted by the Metuchen Arts Council and the Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce