Spring Break Art Camp for Kids & Tweens
2026-03-30 - 2026-04-03
Join us for a special small group Spring Break Art Camp for kids ages 6–9 and tweens ages 10–12! At the Art Center, young artists will learn from our talented teaching artists, create unique art projects, and socialize with friends. This half-day camp (morning session for kids and afternoon session for tweens) will feature art-making in a small group environment. Please send campers with a water bottle and snack only (there will not be a lunch period), and in clothes that can get messy.

Kids Camp (ages 6–9) WAITLIST ONLY
8:45–9 AM: Drop-off
9 AM–12 PM: Artmaking Sessions
12–12:15 PM: Pick-up
Tweens (ages 10–12)
12:45–1 PM: Drop-off
1–4 PM: Artmaking Sessions
4–4:15 PM: Pick-up

Spring Semester Begins
2026-03-30
Spring Semester classes begin March 30, but spots are filling fast. Click here to see all that’s available and sign up today!

Annual Spring Gala: Art Empowers
2026-04-25 18:00 - 23:00 UTC | Canoe Brook Country Club, 1108 Morris Tpke, Summit, NJ, 07901
Our annual spring gala is Saturday, April 25, 2026, and whether you’ll be celebrating with us on-site or sending good vibes from home, you can get in on the fun AND help the Art Center at the same time. Click here to be in our silent auction and get yourself a fantastic piece of artwork!

Midday Gardening Tour with Artist-in-Residence Gabriella D'Italia - Summit First Thursday
2026-05-07 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ, 07901, United States
After a short hiatus, Summit First Thursday is returning on May 7, 2026—and this year it’s expanding to all-day events across Summit.

On the first Thursday of each month, local galleries, shops, restaurants, and cultural spaces host special experiences that make it easy (and fun) to explore the creative side of Summit. You might stop in to meet a local artist, see a new exhibition, enjoy a free activity, or sample a complimentary bite or drink while discovering a business you’ve never visited before.

The Art Center will feature:

Midday Gardening Tour with Artist-in-Residence Gabriella D’Italia
12–2 PM
Join artist-in-residence Gabriella D’Italia for a midday stroll through our green space, where you’ll learn about local plants and gardening tips.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE FREE EVENT

An Evening in the Galleries - Summit First Thursday
2026-05-07 17:30 - 19:00 UTC
After a short hiatus, Summit First Thursday returns on May 7, 2026—and this year it’s expanding to all-day events across Summit.

On the first Thursday of each month, local galleries, shops, restaurants, and cultural spaces host special experiences that make it easy (and fun) to explore the creative side of Summit. You might stop in to meet a local artist, see a new exhibition, enjoy a free activity, or sample a complimentary bite or drink while discovering a business you’ve never visited before.

The Art Center will feature:
An Evening in the Galleries
Stop by to see our Spring Exhibitions, enjoy light refreshments, and connect with fellow art enthusiasts.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE FREE EVENT
Featured Exhibitions:
In Conversation: Will Wilson
Main Gallery
Presented in partnership with Art Bridges
Present and Growing
Mitzi and Warren Eisenberg Gallery
Presenting work by artist Gabriel Garcia Roman
With Passing Years
Marité and Joe Robinson Strolling Gallery I
Presenting work by artist Chrystofer Davis

Artist Talk with Gabriel Garcia Roman & Chrystofer Davis
2026-05-17 12:00 - 15:00 UTC | Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ, 07901, United States
Join us on May 17 from 12–3 PM for a conversation on art and identity with Gabriel Garcia Roman and Chrystofer Davis. Gabriel and Chrystofer will discuss their exhibitions, currently on display at the Art Center, the inspiration that has shaped their art, and their thoughts on the meaning of identity. Mimosas and light fare will be served!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
If you wish to attend, but payment is a barrier, please get in touch with Director of Development & Communication Samantha Davis at sdavis@artcenternj.org

Summit First Thursday: Sound Bath Meditation & Art Making
2026-06-04 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ, 07901, United States
Please join us for a somatic practice that combines a live sound bath meditation with crystal singing bowls and art-making. All materials will be provided. Please bring a yoga mat or other seating—we’ll be on the lawn if the weather is nice!
Tickets cost $15. Click here to register!

Community Day
2026-06-06 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ, 07901, United States
On June 6, 2026, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey will celebrate its spring exhibitions with a Community Day event. The day, which will feature artist-led walks around Summit, a live podcast recording, and drop-in workshops, will run from 10 AM to 2 PM. Click here to register.
UPDATED Schedule of Events:
Portraiture Booth
Step into the portraiture booth and explore self-expression through photography using a variety of props—participants are invited to represent themselves in any way they choose. The portraiture booth will be available from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
Pinhole Camera Station
Explore the magic of analog photography at our all-day pinhole camera station, led by artist James Provenzano. Learn how pinhole photography works and create your own images in this hands-on activity for all ages. This station will be available to the public on the Art Center lawn from 10 AM to 2 PM.
Queer Icon Drop-In Workshop with Exhibiting Artist Gabriel Garcia Roman
Then, join the drop-in workshop inspired by Gabriel Garcia Roman’s Queer Icons series, where you can transform your portrait (or images provided by the artist) into your own personalized queer icon artwork. Queer Icon Workshops will take place from 11 AM to 12 PM and 1 to 2 PM.
Art Walks in Summit with Exhibiting Artist Chrystofer Davis
Step outside for guided photobased walks through Summit, led by artist Chrystofer Davis. Participants are encouraged to observe, document, and reflect on their surroundings using smartphones or disposable cameras (available as needed). Walks will take place at 10:15 AM, 11:15 AM, and 12:15 PM.
Docent-Led Exhibition Tour
Get a tour of our spring exhibitions with VACNJ Docent Amy Harris and Curator Jordan Horton from 12 to 1 PM.

Summer Camp Begins
2026-06-15
Summer Art Camp at the Art Center begins today! Sign up now and give your child their most creative summer EVER!
Click here for more information and to register.

Arts & Cars 2026 Early-Bird Deadline
2026-06-22
Do you have art or crafts you want to show and sell? The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey and Summit Downtown are thrilled to once again be hosting an outdoor art festival in beautiful downtown Summit! The event will work alongside local businesses and the Summit Farmers Market and will include a car show, stage with musical performances all day long, and a beer garden. The event always attracts large audiences.
To learn more, and apply before the early-bird deadline, click here.

Vivid Summer Solos: Fair State
2026-07-08 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!
Fair State by Megan Gogerty
Wednesday, July 8, 6:30 PM
When a woman loses her charming, unreliable, alcoholic father, she unearths evidence of her family’s ancestral ties to the founding of the state of Iowa: are they hearty immigrants making a new life in a new state, or a collection of self-satisfied boot-strappers complicit in the destruction and erasure of Iowa’s indigenous tribes? She asks the audience, what do we do with our problematic relatives?
Click here to purchase tickets.

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 (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!
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 (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!
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.
