Join us on July 11 from 2-5 PM at Ironside Newark for a public sculpture workshop hosted by Amy Ritter!
About This Event
As part of PES Summer Studio at Ironside Newark, Project for Empty Space is hosting a series of free, artist-led workshops led by past and present Artists-in-Residence. These hands-on programs invite participants of all ages to explore new materials, develop creative skills, and engage with contemporary artistic practices.
Join artist Amy Ritter for Building Community, Block by Block. Participants will design and decorate their own concrete blocks using watercolor and markers, then work together to plan and build public sculptures and civic structures for a shared cityscape: park benches, bus shelters, garden walls, bridges, monuments, and whatever else the community decides it needs. The city grows on a large paper tablescape that kids can draw on directly, adding roads, trees, neighborhoods, and life to the world they're building together.
Public sculpture isn't just for museums or city planners. It belongs to everyone, and it starts with deciding together what a community needs and deserves.
No experience needed. Just show up ready to build.
Designed for children of all ages, with activities scaled to every level. Younger children will stack and decorate; older kids and teens can plan structures, advocate for their ideas, and help the city take shape.
About PES Summer Studio at Ironside Newark
This summer, Project for Empty Space is transforming its exhibition space at Ironside into a gathering place for free, artist-led workshops. The series includes protest pin-making, collaborative city-building, tote-bag painting, figure drawing, digital fabrication, and more. Each workshop reflects the artist's unique practice and approach, offering opportunities for hands-on learning, creative exploration, and conversation.
Getting Here
Project for Empty Space at Ironside
110 Edison Place
Newark, NJ 07102
Please access the space through Mulberry Commons Park via Columbia Street.