ART IN ESSEX By Susan Wilinski, photo by Dan Epstein
New Jersey Arts Incubator BRINGING THE ARTS TO THE OSKAR SCHINDLER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
W
hen living in the Big Apple and working as an actor and a writer, Amy Simon knew how to nurture her creative side. Since moving to West Orange 22 years ago to raise her family, Simon has remained active in both the community and the arts, founding the Valley Community Watch and serving on the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for three years, culminating with the founding of the New Jersey Arts Incubator (NJAI) in 2006. “Originally I was looking to develop an arts space for the Valley neighborhood to create a place where people could continue to work as artists and bring arts to an underdeveloped area of West Orange,” says Simon. “There is a movement in the community for ‘place making’ in the arts.”
(Left-right) Amy Simon, founder and Vice-Chair; Lisa Scalora, Chairwoman; Carol Berman, Executive Director
opportunity to bring the arts to all of West Orange,” explains Simon, who now serves NJAI as its vice chairperson of the board. “We want to give people things to celebrate. We want our neighbors to be happy.”
“The Township of West Orange was looking for someone to organize OSPAC’s full summer season of programming, and this is an opportunity to bring the arts to all of West Orange.” AMY SIMON For the past seven years, the NJAI has worked hard to provide an environment for artists of all backgrounds to develop and display their work. Their most recent need for a new space was answered when West Orange was searching for a producing entity to bring programs to the Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center (OSPAC). “The Township of West Orange was looking for someone to organize OSPAC’s full summer season of programming, and this was an 24
SUBURBAN ESSEX MAGAZINE
Set on five and a half acres on the Watchung Mountain ridge and next to Crystal Lake, OSPAC is the perfect venue for enjoying a summer evening of entertainment. The plan is to provide free-to-low-cost arts events for residents and visitors to enjoy. In charge of making this happen is executive director Carol Berman, who contracts with the artists and vendors and produces events and arts education programs. “There are so many talented people living and working in
June 2013
West Orange,” Berman says. “Let’s bring fine and performing arts to our community with free- and low-cost opportunities. That’s what OSPAC was built for. NJAI will use this beautiful property and get the arts up to OSPAC for all.” The 2013 summer season at OSPAC is already filled, beginning with the June 21 summer solstice celebration. There will be something for everyone throughout the summer and into September, including a production of “Into the Woods,” opening on July 19, as well as live bands, movie nights and an arts play festival for special needs children. The OSPAC season will close on September 21 with an NJAI fundraiser showcasing the talent of the West Orange public schools’ performing arts programs and the West Orange community. “We invite Essex County and all New Jersey residents to visit NJAI at OSPAC often and help us create and celebrate all kinds of art up on the mountain at OSPAC,” states Berman. NJAI at OSPAC 4 Boland Drive West Orange, NJ 07052 973-669-0602 www.njai.org