Visual Arts Center of New Jersey

Vivid Summer Solos: Long Drive Home
2026-07-15 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ, 07901, United States
The weekly solo reading series returns to the Art Center this summer! All tickets are $23 (advance sales only), and readings will be done on the lawn of the Art Center. Bring your own blanket or lawn chairs, picnic, and/or snacks!
Long Drive Home by Stephen Kaplan
Wednesday, July 15, 6:30 PM
Based on the NY Times bestseller, Long Drive Home follows the life of Glen Bauer, a white man whose impulsive act while driving his 6-year-old daughter home from school results in a tragic accident. To protect himself and his family, Glen conceals his involvement, a decision that ignites a destructive chain of events. In the end, he must face the full weight of the damage he’s done to himself and those he loves.
Click here to purchase tickets.

Vivid Summer Solos: Maker of Worlds
2026-07-22 18:30 - 20:30 | Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ, 07901, United States
The weekly solo reading series returns to the Art Center this summer! All tickets are $23 (advance sales only), and readings will be done on the lawn of the Art Center. Bring your own blanket or lawn chairs, picnic, and/or snacks!
Maker of Worlds by Wendy Schmidt
Wednesday, July 22, 6:30 PM
Martha (definitely not Stewart), a deity, decides to destroy the world and start over. She then discovers that her husband, Warren (definitely not Buffett), is the one who built the system that’s ruining it in the first place. A play that spans time and space, features the ghost of Jim Morrison, and deals with creation and the past catching up to you.
Click here to purchase tickets.

Vivid Summer Solos: The Call List
2026-07-29 18:30 - 20:30 | Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ, 07901, United States
The weekly solo reading series returns to the Art Center this summer! All tickets are $23 (advance sales only), and readings will be done on the lawn of the Art Center. Bring your own blanket or lawn chairs, picnic, and/or snacks!
The Call List by Brian James Pollak
Wednesday, July 29, 6:30 PM
A dispirited legal assistant is tasked with calling individuals on a list left behind by a man who committed suicide. The work assignment could not come at a worse time, as she is dealing with her own life/work existential crisis while her mother and sister badger her via text message. Ultimately, it’s a few kind words from a stranger that might give her what she needs.
Click here to purchase tickets.

August First Thursday Watercolor Workshop
2026-08-06 10:00 - 11:00 | Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ, 07901, United States
Join us on Thursday, August 6, for our art and healing First Thursday series with a watercolor and meditative practice. This creative process can help us relax, center ourselves, and experience the healing power of making art.
Participants will be guided through an approachable watercolor technique that is welcoming for beginners and still enjoyable for those with watercolor experience. Come spend the morning slowing down, experimenting with watercolors, and making something beautiful!
This FREE event starts at 10 AM, but spots are limited. Sign up here!

Members Art Show & Collectors Week
2026-09-03 - 2026-09-11 | Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ, 07901, United States
Members Art Show & Collectors Week

The Members’ Committee is excited to announce the Members Art Show & Collectors Week for 2026! This exhibition is a celebration of art made by our members.
Register early to guarantee a spot! Space is limited. Registration opens June 8, 2026.
Artwork Accepted: Monday, August 31, 2026, from 10 AM–8 PM
Exhibition Opening: Thursday, September 3, 2026, from 6–8:30 PM, awards presented at 7:30 PM
Art Pick-up: Friday, September 11 through Sunday, September 13, during the Art Center’s open hours
Guest Juror: Meghan Roghanchi (See bio below)
Want To Exhibit Your Work? Here’s How:

All Art Center Members are welcome to hang one original work of art. Space is limited, so register in advance online or at the front desk to guarantee your spot. Then bring your artwork to the Art Center’s Main Gallery at 68 Elm Street, Summit, New Jersey, on Monday, August 31, from 10 AM–8 PM. The exhibition will run from September 4 to September 10, with an opening on Thursday, September 3, from 6–8:30 PM.
$35 entry fee.
One artwork per member. Maximum size is 36 x 36” for 2-D work (including frame) and 24 x 24 x 36” for 3-D work.
Artists of all ages can exhibit. The artist must be a current member of the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey. The museum galleries will feature our members who are 18 or older. Our second-floor gallery will display the work of our members under the age of 18.
Works must be dropped off in person on Monday, August 31, from 10 AM to 8 PM. Works must be picked up in person on Friday, September 11, 9 AM–5 PM; Saturday, September 12, and Sunday, September 13, 10 AM–5 PM. Any artwork not picked up by 5 PM on Sunday, September 13, becomes property of the Art Center.
More details can be found here!

The Fine Print:

Artists may send a representative for drop off or pick up, but must have a letter signed by the artist authorizing them to submit and/or pick up artwork.
Space is allotted to members who register. Space is limited, so register early!
Wall-mounted works must be wired and ready to hang. A limited number of pedestals and tables will be available for sculpture, ceramics, and jewelry on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are displaying hand-crafted jewelry or other small items, you must provide your own display furniture.
All artworks must be family-friendly in content. The Art Center retains the right to refuse an artwork for any reason.
Artists can choose to have their artworks for sale. Commission is 20% to the Art Center & 80% to the artist. Artists can choose to donate all proceeds to the Art Center’s programs.
Sold work can only be picked up by the purchaser during the designated pick-up times listed above.

Juror Bio
Meghan Roghanchi is the Founder and Curator of RAM Gallery in Summit, NJ. She holds a BFA in Visual Arts from Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts, where she studied under influential professors like Lauren Ewing, John Yau, and Rudy Serra; exploring materials, presentation, and the vital artist-patron relationship.
Art has been a constant thread throughout Meghan’s life, from childhood experiments with found objects, which sparked an early love for sculpture, to immersive college years filled with creative collaboration and gallery visits that opened her eyes to diverse artistic voices. In her mid-twenties, she began collecting, drawn to street-level encounters with artists in New York City’s parks.
Meghan channeled her lifelong passion for art and collecting into founding RAM Gallery in 2023. She created a space that bridges creative practice and collecting, offering artists a supportive space with lively opening receptions, curated events, and intimate studio visits for select collectors. At RAM, the focus is on fostering genuine connections—turning strangers into collectors and collectors into friends—while making art approachable and enjoyable for everyone. Meghan believes art should inspire confidence, spark conversations, and encourage creative experimentation.

Fall Semester Begins
2026-09-14 | Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ, 07901, United States
Register now for fall semester. Classes begin on September 14.

Click here to see all the classes and workshops available.

Road Trip: Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts
2026-09-29 11:00 - 15:00
Join the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey for a fall road trip to New York City and a special behind-the-scenes visit to the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts (EFA)!

On Tuesday, September 29, we’ll spend the day exploring EFA’s current exhibition and visiting artists in their studios for an inside look at their work and creative practices. This will be a wonderful opportunity to experience contemporary art up close, meet working artists, and enjoy a day of art and conversation with fellow members of the VACNJ community.

We’ll meet at the Summit Train Station and take the 9:46 AM train together, arriving at EFA by 11 AM. Our visit will run from 11 AM–3 PM and includes a catered lunch of salads and sandwiches, with vegetarian and gluten-free options available.

Click here to register!
