Welcome to the Project for Empty Space Submittable!

Project for Empty Space (PES) is a multifaceted arts organization dedicated to supporting socially engaged artists through exhibitions, residencies, and public art initiatives. Learn more about our programs and our locations in Newark, NJ, and New York City here.

Project for Empty Space is proud to partner with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) to launch a new public art initiative and commission 13 original artworks for NJPAC’s redeveloped campus in downtown Newark.

The new neighborhood taking shape around NJPAC’s iconic theaters will include ArtSide, a 350-unit residential and retail development, and the Cooperman Family Arts Education and Community Center, a three-story home for NJPAC’s arts education programs, community initiatives, and rehearsal studios.

These new public artworks will enliven the area with installations that reflect the rhythm, resilience, and vitality of Newark’s communities. The project—titled Stories in Sound, Movement, and Community—weaves together the three core elements of NJPAC’s mission to bring people together through the performing arts. Each work will be site-specific and offer an interactive experience that celebrates the city’s artistic legacy and contemporary creative expression.

This Request for Proposals is now closed, and submissions are currently under review.Thank you to all artists who applied. Updates will be shared with applicants directly as the review process moves forward.

Learn more about NJPAC’s public art initiatives: njpac.org/publicart