Nina Simone’s grandson, R&B singer Mary Cross of Atlantic City, and Newark-based rapper MC Rah Digga are among New Jersey artists and producers receiving grants to stage events for this year’s North to Shore festival.
The “N2S” music and arts festival is back for a third year next month, with dozens of concerts by stars of rock, hip hop, reggae, dance, classical and other genres, plus comedy and fine art exhibits.
The festival runs from June 14-29, with events concentrated in Newark, up north, and the shore resorts of Asbury Park and Atlantic City, with other dates and locations in between.
Soul singer Kalid will preview the festival with a performance at Atlantic City’s Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena on June 6.
In addition to presenting established headliners like comic duo Tina Faye and Amy Poehler (June 22 at Newark’s Prudential Center arena), N2S showcases home-grown talent with what the festival calls “Community Arts Awards” of up to $10,000 each to pay production costs for independently produced events.
This year’s recipients include Asbury Park singer, songwriter and event producer Alexander Simone, grandson of singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone. Simone will produce a multi-artist event on June 20 in Asbury Park.
“This being my third year in a row, I’m happy to know that North2shore NJPAC and the Asbury Park committee has the upmost confidence and support in my events,” Simone said. “And Soul In The Park 3, my event, is going to show you just why.”
These festival programs, which highlight artists who live, work, and perform year-round in the festival’s three host cities, are supported by the Prudential North to Shore Community Arts Awards initiative, according to festival organizers.
The community arts grants are available to local artists, arts organizations, nonprofits, and small businesses, to create free or affordable performing and visual arts events. This year’s grant funding totals nearly $400,000, provided by Prudential Financial, a Newark anchor corporation and N2S sponsor included in the festival’s full name.
“Prudential North to Shore isn’t just about bringing global headliners to New Jersey—it’s also about giving local artists a platform to shine,” John Schreiber, President and CEO of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, or NJPAC in Newark, said in an April 24 announcement of the community grants.
“Today and every day, we celebrate New Jersey’s homegrown talent and the vibrant artistic community that helps define life in the Garden State,” Schreiber added. Their creativity and passion are an essential part of who we are as New Jerseyans.”
In March, Schreiber joined Gov. Phil Murphy, First Lady Tammy Murphy and others in an announcement of this year’s lineup at NJPAC, one of the festival’s principal venues.
Headliners include Fey & Poehler, who’ll make a stop at Prudential Center on their Restless Leg Tour; LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells Festival, also at “the Rock,” arena on June 28; Steel Pulse on June 19th, and George Clinton & Parlement Funkadelic on June 29th, both at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park. Dates outside the festival’s three main cities include a June 21 show by the jam band moe at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank.
North to Shore will also host special events in each festival city, produced in collaboration with local community arts organizations.
They include The Black Creative Economy Summit, a program that focuses on the contributions and economic empowerment of Black Americans; and Books on the Move, a celebration of artists of color designed for young readers and several poetry workshops.
A full calendar of festival performances and events is available at NorthToShore.com.
Stories by Deion Johnson
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