MORRIS COUNTY — The 2025 Morris County Teen Arts Festival will be held on Friday, May 16, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at County College of Morris (CCM). The day-long festival celebrating youth arts will bring together nearly 1,000 middle and high school artists, musicians from across Morris County, and educators for a full day of creative workshops, performances and exhibits. It also provides a platform for students to showcase their work, receive critique and earn an invitation to the prestigious New Jersey State Teen Arts Festival. The public is also invited to enjoy student artwork and performances at the event.
Each year the festival centers around a thought-provoking theme and the 2025 focus is “Art & Consumerism.” This theme encourages students to explore how consumer culture influences their creative work, from the artist’s perspective to the broader reception in the art world.
The festival’s keynote speaker is Anthony Marques, a prominent comic book artist, educator and local business owner. A graduate of the iconic Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in New Jersey, Marques began working as an editor for publishers DC Comics and Dynamite Entertainment. A true student of the medium, he has brought new and exciting visions to life as an artist for beloved characters such as Batman, the Green Hornet and the Ghostbusters. In addition to working on numerous projects with these companies, Marques became an instructor at the Kubert School before eventually becoming president and owner of the institution.
Following the keynote, CCM faculty, visiting artists, and current students will offer various activities for participation across CCM’s scenic campus. These include classroom workshops, pop-up performances in the college’s state-of-the-art Music and Technology Building, and outdoor interactive stations on the lawn (weather permitting). This year’s Teen Arts Festival is not to be missed!
Registration opens Tuesday, April 1 and runs through May 1. Space is limited. Visit www.ccm.edu/teenarts/ for more details. Email questions to teenarts@ccm.edu. CCM is located at 214 Center Grove Road in Randolph. The festival is sponsored by Morris Arts, whose mission is to engage and build community through the arts.
