Editor: Alexandra Cruz, NJIT Student

Our program, Back 2 the Future: An Intergenerational Arts Program, was a 2024–2025 Newark Artist Accelerator Fund recipient!

Back 2 the Future is an intergenerational arts program where North Newark students from Roberto Clemente Elementary School and Elliott Street Elementary School, together with older adults living with early to mid-stages of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, explore theatre, art, music, photography, and film alongside local artists at the North End Library in Newark.

The program culminated in a celebration where participants, students, school administration, and participating artists came together to share and honor the work created throughout the program.

Our work in the community is needed now more than ever. Thank you to Project for Empty Space for the Newark Artist Accelerator Fund grant. We are deeply grateful and filled with immense gratitude for receiving this award.

The Newark Artist Accelerator Fund is powered by Project for Empty Space and made possible through the generous support of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Regional Regranting Program.

Congratulations to all of the other award recipients!

Editor: Michael Vincenty, NJIT Student

Funded by a Newark Arts Start grant, artists take elders and youth "Back 2 the Future", in a virtual intergenerational art program. Newark students at Roberto Clemente Elementary School and Elliott Street Elementary School will meet virtually with adult seniors living with first and mid stages of Alzheimer's and dementia. Students and adult seniors will explore theatre, art, poetry and music together. A culmination session invites participants, students, school administration and participating artists to celebrate works created during program.  

"Back 2 the Future", a virtual intergenerational arts program on ZOOM. Students from Elliott Street Elementary School meet with senior adults living with Alzheimer's and Dementia in NJ nursing homes . The goal of this program is to bring two different groups of people together, youth and seniors, during times of COVID to interact with each other and learn about each other's lives through arts-based programming. Our mission is to provide multi-disciplinary arts mentorship, accessibility to all, create bridges to new experiences and networking opportunities for our Newark residents, through the specific focus of using visual arts, theatre, poetry, and music.  

Editor: Michael Bifano, NJIT Student

Funded by a Newark Arts Start grant, artists take elders and youth "Back 2 the Future", in an intergenerational arts program. This program brings youth and seniors together to interact with each other and learn about each other's lives through arts-based programming. Newark eighth grade students at Elliott Street Elementary School met in person with adult seniors living with first and mid stages of Alzheimer's and dementia who reside at Marquis Health Care NJ Nursing Homes at North End Library - Newark Public Library while Roberto Clemente Elementary School students met seniors virtually. Students and adult seniors explored theatre, art, poetry, music and film in the weekly month long program. 

Editor: Emmanuel Ogbonnaya, NJIT Student

Funded by a Newark Arts Start grant, artists take elders and youth "Back 2 the Future", in an intergenerational arts program. This program brings youth and seniors together to interact with each other and learn about each other's lives through arts-based programming. Newark eighth grade students at Elliott Street Elementary School met in person with adult seniors living with first and mid stages of Alzheimer's and dementia who reside at Marquis Health Care NJ Nursing Homes at North End Library - Newark Public Library while Roberto Clemente Elementary School students met seniors virtually. Students and adult seniors explored theatre, art, poetry, music and film in the weekly month long program.