Initiatives

Express Newark

The Department of Arts, Cuture and Media is a key component of Express Newark: A University – Community Collaboratory which is housed in part of the historic former Hahne & Company department store in downtown Newark.
A conceptual framework and an interdisciplinary learning space, Express Newark houses the Newest Americans; the Form Design Studio; the Design Consortium; Visual Means; Shine Portrait Studio; the Community Media Center;  the Paul Robeson Galleries; and twenty-two resident artists in printmaking, photography, painting and video.
Additionally, some ACM classes are held in Express Newark, the Journalism project “Nuance Magazine” is an Express Newark Partner, and, the ACM Academic Video Program makes it’s home in Express Newark.

The website for Express Newark is www.expressnewark.org.
Express Newark also on social media:  Facebook.com/ExpressNewark; Instagram: @ExpressNewark and Twitter: @ExpressNewark.


 Scarlet Magazine

Launched in May 2011, Scarlet Magazine, the brainchild of Professor Robin Fisher and junior Cortney Coulanges, is the first on-campus magazine to cover trends in the Rutgers-Newark community and beyond. The magazine, now with a staff nearly 20 students strong, and which now includes a writing division lead by journalism student Emina Lukarcanin and a creative division lead by Dahlia Abdalla and Ronald Mendoza. Under the advisement of Professor Chantal Fischzang, is comparable to many of the glossy magazines you may find in your grocery aisles.

The staff encourages anyone with a passion for writing to contribute to the magazine, noting that it is good for one’s resume but more importantly allows one to expand creatively and work with a group who really cares about the magazine.  Those interested in writing for the magazine, should contact ruscarletmagazine@gmail.com.   Those interested in art and design should contact scarletmagazinedr@gmail.com

The Scarlet Magazine is FREE and can be picked up throughout common areas of Bradley Hall and throughout the campus.

  • A selection of covers of Scarlet Magazine

Rutgers University Newark Chorus

World-traveled and widely praised, the 40 or so member Chorus was led by Prof John Floreen from 1979-2015. Under the new leadership of Dr. Brian Harlow, assisted by Michele Kennedy, the Chorus continues to expand its repertoire, mission, and reach both locally and around the world. In past years the Chorus has received enthusiastic receptions from audiences — as well as rousing reviews from music critics –in eastern Germany, the Czech Republic, The Netherlands, France, England, Scotland, Italy, Spain and Wales. Highlights of the tours over the years have included performances in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris; St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican; and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. The Rutgers Chorus has produced five CD recordings, available at the concerts and in the Rutgers University-Newark Bookstore.


The Design Consortium

Design Consortium is a student/teacher design collaborative and studio, in which Professor Ned Drew immerses his graphic design students in real-world projects. Working as a team, Drew and his students meet with clients, assess their communications needs and develop a graphic-design solution. It is an invaluable real-world experience for the students and serves the needs of clients from the region.  The Design Consortium is based out of Express Newark.


 The Newest Americans

The Newest Americans is a project that documents the lives and communities of students at the university. With it’s home in Express Newark, the project, spearheaded by ACM Theatre professor Tim Raphael, Director of the Center for Migration and the Global City (CMGC), will focus on immigrant experiences in New Jersey with Newark as the hub where these different stories converge. The Newest Americans is a collaborative effort involving CMGC; VII, a group consisting of world-renowned videographers and photojournalists; and ACM. Raphael expects additional partnerships as the project progresses.

The project also seeks to present the reality of Newark as a city of immigrants, as opposed to a common perception as a black and white city with a strong racial divide. The project will address the significance of the Great Migration and emphasize Newark’s role as the epicenter where different, recent immigrants are coming together, not only on campus, but in the surrounding areas.

Unlike research projects that typically present findings in a single medium, like a research paper, The Newest Americans will present information through multiple channels. These media include videos, performances, photographs, essays, and oral histories to effectively resonate with members of its wide and diverse audience who use these media, and have varying levels of English proficiency.