Artist Residencies

In 2026, State Theatre New Jersey is thrilled to bring back two of its beloved community residencies! These free artist residencies give participants the chance to connect directly with professional performers. Each year, students and adults alike enjoy a wide range of engaging experiences, including workshops, masterclasses, and live performances.

POETRY

Beginning February 2026, award-winning poet Alyea Pierce returns for her third season as STNJ’s Poet-In-Residence. With more than 20 years of experience, Pierce has collaborated with Disney, National Geographic, NPR, and TEDx, and has shared her expertise with institutions such as the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and Planet Word. A National Geographic Explorer and Fulbright alumna, she was featured on the podcast series Into the Depths and The Soul of Music, using spoken-word poetry to amplify lost voices of history. Her work has appeared in the Guardian, New York Daily News, Obsidian, Caribbean Writer, and Routledge. 

Pierce will lead writing workshops in schools, universities, senior centers, and residential treatment programs throughout central New Jersey, leading participants through an easy, inspiring process for unlocking creativity and self-expression.

JAZZ

In January 2026, Swing Makes You Sing!—the high-energy musicians from the award-winning Svetlana & The New York Collective who are on a mission to spread pure jazz joy—return for their third season. Their teaching artists will bring hands-on jazz workshops to New Brunswick Public Schools students in grades 4–12, diving into the music’s vibrant cultural roots. To top it off, students will enjoy an immersive, interactive concert that ends with a rousing New Orleans–style second-line parade!