The WAE Open 2023

The WAE Open - 2023
Heidi Gallery at JSDD is proud to announce the juried group exhibition, The WAE Open. Founded in 2004, the WAE (Wellness, Arts, Enrichment) Center is a holistic, creative learning program for adults with developmental disabilities. Dedicated to 'Finding the Spark Within', WAE's focus is on personal growth and creativity in guiding each member to build a greater capacity to live a full life.

Established in 2021 as a key component of the state-of-the-art facility of JSDD, the Heidi Gallery is focused on bringing people together to experience art and arts education while fostering a fully inclusive community.

The WAE Open does not have a theme; rather, the exhibition is intended to showcase the highest quality visual art being made at this moment in time. The Gallery, located at 310 Eisenhower Parkway, Livingston, NJ, is 2,000 square feet with moveable walls, thus allowing for the broadest range and diversity of media.

JUROR: Jesse Bandler Firestone is a curator and lecturer of contemporary art. He is currently the Curator and Exhibition Coordinator at Montclair State University. Previously, he was Assistant Curator at Wave Hill, a garden and cultural center in The Bronx, and Curatorial and Production Assistant at The Shed, a nonprofit dedicated to art and ideas across all forms of creativity. Jesse has lectured at Pratt and Harvard University and has organized exhibitions at various institutions and project spaces across the United States.

Eligibility: Open to artists living or working in NJ, NY, PA and CT.
Entry Fee: $35 non-refundable
Cash Award: $500 - Best in Show