Hundreds of middle and high school students will take part in the Mercer County Teen Arts Festival on Friday, May 8 at the West Windsor campus of Mercer County Community College.
The annual festival offers a full day of arts immersion for students from Mercer County’s public, private, parochial and independent schools.
The one-day event features master classes, workshops and hands-on art-making activities designed to help students develop new skills, connect with peers and deepen existing talents.
Workshops span multiple disciplines, including media and visual art, dance, drama, vocal and instrumental music, film and creative writing. Many sessions are led by Mercer County Community College faculty members.
Critique sessions are a central part of the festival, giving students constructive feedback from educators and arts professionals, along with guidance on future academic and career paths.
Student work presented during critiques is also evaluated by adjudicators, with select participants invited to present at the State Teen Arts Festival later in the year.
Activities will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the college’s West Windsor campus, located at 1200 Old Trenton Road.
The festival is presented by County Executive Dan Benson, the Mercer County Board of County Commissioners and the Mercer County Division of Culture and Heritage. Tim Hoh will serve in his fourth year as Teen Arts coordinator.
Students and families are encouraged to contact their school’s administration or arts teachers to confirm participation. Individual students whose schools are not participating may register online with permission from a parent or guardian.
Additional information is available at the Mercer County Teen Arts Festival webpage.
“Each year it’s a joy to see young people from every part of Mercer come together to learn, grow, and show off their talents at Teen Arts,” Benson said.
“I want to give a big thanks to all the teachers and school staff who partner with us each year to make this event such a success, and I want to recognize the team at Mercer County Community College for being great hosts every year,” said Benson.
