Annual Jersey City Art & Studio Tour (JCAST) Returns this Week
Starting this coming Thursday, September 30th, and continuing for 4 days until Sunday, October 3rd, The City of Jersey City will be hosting its 31st Annual Jersey City Art & Studio Tour. The four-day arts showcase with feature in-person events including everything from university shows to ‘hidden gem” galleries. This year’s JCAST will feature 650 local and international artist at over 125 locations across the city. The largest art tour in the State of New Jersey, this year’s JCAST will celebrate artists & their creative process through a series of curated tours, art demos, as well as panel discussions with art organizations, individual artists and collectives from Jersey City.
“We’re witnessing history in the making as Jersey City increasingly transforms into an unparalleled cultural anchor and arts destination, and JCAST serves as the grand finale to this pivotal year for arts and culture in our community,” said Jersey City Mayor, Steven Fulop. “Every year, I look forward to JCAST as it is the region’s premier art tour, showcasing Jersey City’s diverse community of incredibly talented and creative artists.”
Bringing in over 20,000 attendees, JCAST invites everyone from all walks of life to explore and enjoy the activities and exhibits organized during the festival. This year the arts tour will be particularly special as Jersey City’s Mural Arts Program (JCMAP) has partnered with StraxAR to incorporate augmented reality into this years exhibit of over 200 citywide murals. Once the app is downloaded, users can hold up their cellphone camera to a mural and watch as the mural and its story are digitally brought to life. Click the link here to watch a demonstration of the AR app here!
The 31st annual JCAST will kick off with an opening reception that will be held on September 30, 2021, from 6 – 9 p.m. in the Powerhouse Arts District. The public event will include live outdoor performances, music, tours of Nimbus Arts Center Gallery and Art150, and more!
JCMAP will also be hosting a group exhibition show on Friday, October 1, from 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., that will feature the canvas art of many of JCMAP’s participating muralists. The event will take place in a street-level commercial space donated by KRE Group in Journal Squared at 605 Pavonia Avenue. A pop-up gallery will take place on Saturday, October 2, from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m. in the heart of the Mural Arts District at 227 Coles, The event will feature food trucks and a beer garden in the parking lot where Canvs AP will provide mural tours.
“The arts can be powerfully therapeutic for people, especially in times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, and so we felt it was especially important to safely bring back JCAST with in-person events after going all virtual last year,” said Christine Goodman, Director of Cultural Affairs. “Every year, we welcome more artists and more attendants, and we expect this year to be the best JCAST yet!”
Visitors are also encouraged to take advantage of the free bike and walking tours offered Saturday and Sunday, October 2 and 3. All guided tours are free and open to the public. A full listing of galleries, exhibitions, tours, and special events can be found at www.thejcast.com. JCAST encourages all attendees to wear masks at all indoor locations. To purchase any artwork, please message our JCAST Art Concierge and have it delivered to your doorstep! If you have questions about a specific venue’s COVID-19 guidelines, please contact them directly.
