Double bassist Christian McBride and his upcoming solo appearance with the NJ Symphony at the James Moody Jazz Festival will be featured in an upcoming story on State of the Arts
As of October, the transition to the new NJ PBS—now being led by Montclair State University—is complete! With it, State of the Arts has new broadcast and streaming times on NJ PBS, beginning with every Wednesday at 8 PM.
State of the Arts is now airing on WHYY, Philadelphia’s premier public media station, at 7:30 PM on Thursdays, and is continuing in its traditional Sunday morning timeslot on WNET/Thirteen. If you’re an ALL ARTS fan, those times have changed too—check out “How to Watch” for details, including how to find both full episodes and individual stories online.
At the Twilight’s Last Gleaming? (2021) by Hank Willis Thomas, as seen at the Zimmerli Art Museum
Fall marks the beginning of the season for State of the Arts, just as it does for most theaters, galleries, and performance venues. Our crews are in production around the state, covering some of the best of what’s coming up.
On our first show of the season, premiering this week on NJ PBS, we meet Hank Willis Thomas. The artist (born in Plainfield, NJ!) was newly declared one of the Top 100 Art People by Time magazine. Hank’s iconic work is on display at the Zimmerli Art Museum through December, along with an exhibition of works he curated for the NJ Arts Annual. We visit his studio in Brooklyn, and learn about his formative influences. Another story on our season premiere episode takes a look back at the summer that was, with huge soccer balls created as public art for the World Cup. One was created by Jersey City artist Nyugen Smith.
Nyugen Smith with the giant soccer ball he created for the 2026 World Cup, installed in front of City Hall in Jersey City.
In future episodes, State of the Arts will bring you you news from the Cape May Jazz Festival and the James Moody Jazz Festival at NJPAC. We’ll also be focusing on big topics—including the emerging science of how art is tied to health, and the artists who are finding their calling in the world of video games. We’ll have a story about a pair of sister performers sharing little known stories from our nation’s past, and one exploring the work of new media artist Sue Huang. Sue creates otherworldly visions of extinct botanical specimens with new technology.
New media artist Sue Huang uses both modern and ancient techniques in her work. Here, she makes paper out of mugwort, a plant that is invasive in New Jersey.
So much is in the works! State of the Arts invites you to journey with us around the state, as we travel to artists’ studios, sound stages, and the many other, often unexpected places that our pursuit of good stories lead us.
Let us know your thoughts—and send us your ideas.
