North to Shore Arts and Ideas Festival, which debuted in June, will be back for an encore.
After an extraordinarily successful first year, which saw hundreds of thousands take part in the inaugural festival, the epic event will return next year to kick off summer 2024 with another three-city, three-weekend celebration of the arts and innovation across New Jersey.
Conceived by Gov. Phil Murphy and first lady Tammy Murphy, the North to Shore Festival was designed to spotlight New Jersey’s culture, diversity and spirit of innovation.
In 2024, the festival will launch in Asbury Park from June 10 to June 16, swing down the Shore to Atlantic City from June 17 through June 23 and conclude in Newark from June 24 through June 30.
Once again, both global headliners and artists who make their homes in each festival city will take the stage in front of an audience drawn from across the state and around the region.
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center will again produce the festival, in partnership with a cohort of other live entertainment presenters and producing partners.
Alongside the first season’s headliners — which included Jersey-born pop diva Halsey, hip hop legends Eric B. & Rakim, classic rocker Santana, Brazilian superstar Marisa Monte and R&B songstress Jazmine Sullivan and one of America’s first new wave bands, the B-52s — the inaugural festival presented scores of concerts, film screenings, art exhibits and expert panel discussions on innovation in technology, climate change, health care and business, as well as scores of performances and events, many of them free, featuring artists who make their creative home in New Jersey.
“What makes the North to Shore so exciting is that — even if you only spend one day at the festival — there’s so much to hear, to see, to learn and to do. It’s a perfect introduction to New Jersey’s incredible arts scene,” John Schreiber, CEO and president of NJPAC, said.
The festival drew an audience of nearly 250,000 to more than 300 shows in more than 100 venues in three of New Jersey’s most arts-rich cities.
While most festival events were free to the public, ticketed events brought in $7.6 million in sales.
In addition, 56 artists based in Atlantic City, Asbury Park and Newark were awarded North to Shore grants to produce performances and events held during the festival weekends in their cities.
The North to Shore Grants up to $5,000 will be awarded again next year, giving New Jersey artists an opportunity to perform for festival crowds and funding to create unique and exciting events — both supporting the creative economy of each city, and giving a platform to underrecognized artists and arts organizations.
For the first time, grants also will be offered to artists interested in performing on the North to Shore Festival Community Stages, centrally located performance venues in each city.
Grantees will be chosen by a committee of local arts and culture leaders from each city, who are familiar with the spirit and range of the local arts ecosystem. Between 15 and 20 grants will be awarded in each city. The application period for festival grants opened Tuesday and closes Nov. 10. Virtual information sessions for grant applicants will be held in October and November, and those chosen to appear at the festival will be notified by mid-December.
Local artists and arts organizations seeking grants can click here.
