The Montclair Pod’s exploration of what makes our town tick takes a deep dive into Montclair’s artistic soul, a vibrant scene that’s been woven into the fabric of this community for well over a century. As we note inepisode 11, “Montclair has been and is currently home to so many artists.”
Our conversation with Angelica Diggs, who leads the Montclair History Center, revealed just how early Montclair’s identity as an arts hub began to form. She shares, “One of the lesser known aspects about Montclair is how early on its arts and cultural center really was here.” Diggs notes that by the early 1900s and even earlier, “you start to see the pop-ups of theaters.” This burgeoning artistic community, she explains, led to the founding of the Montclair Art Museum. She noted that the arts have “always been ingrained in Montclair culture and I think has maintained over the last hundred years”.
Indeed, the arrival of the railroad in the 1830s played a role in attracting artists like landscape painter George Inness, who lived here from 1885 until his death in 1894. This artistic circle, known as the “Inness Colony,” was a catalyst for the establishment of the Montclair Art Museum. Montclair continues to draw artists and writers today.
Montclair’s rich artistic tapestry covers a wide spectrum, including visual arts, music, literature, and performing arts. The presence of artists and creative professionals is palpable. You’ll meet Broadway and TV actors in school PTA meetings.
Visual Arts
At the heart of Montclair’s visual arts scene is the Montclair Art Museum (MAM). Chartered in 1909 and opened in 1914, it was New Jersey’s first museum open to the public and the first devoted solely to art. MAM houses an impressive collection of over 12,000 objects, focusing on American and Native North American art. The museum actively participates in initiatives like the New Jersey Arts Annual, showcasing juried exhibitions by local artists. Studio Montclair Inc. is another vital visual arts organization in town.
In Episode 11, we heard from Nanette Carter, an iconic artist with global exhibitions to her name. Carter has a deep connection to Montclair, having grown up and attended schools here since 1958. Her work was recently featured at the Montclair Art Museum, an experience she spoke about, noting the inclusion of some of her high school creations. We also learned about the museum’s commitment to supporting storytellers and engaging young people in the arts.
Music
Montclair holds a special place for music, particularly jazz. It has been home to jazz luminaries such as Oliver Lake, Billy Hart, Reggie Workman, and Christian McBride. McBride is also the artistic director of Jazz House Kids, an organization founded with Melissa Walker dedicated to jazz education and youth development . Pheeroan akLaff, a local musician and creative director of Seed Artists, also featured in Episode 11, described how organizations like Jazz House Kids have “laid down the seeds between their youth work and jazz education.” He notes that these efforts are leading to “big crazy festivals” and have definitely “put the town on the map”. The Montclair Jazz Festival, organized by Jazz House Kids, is highlighted as an event where they “close off Bloomfield Avenue basically now” and bring in “very, very big names that come”. This festival is celebrated for “really bringing an international level of music and art to the public. And it’s free!”.
Beyond jazz, Montclair offers diverse musical experiences. Live music can be heard at venues like the Wellmont Theater. A unique community music event is Montclair PorchFest, where, as described in the podcast, “porches across town are gonna transform into concert stages, turning neighborhoods into an open air music festival.” This event is organized by Jeremy Pholwattana, a musician and director of Downtown Montclair, a nonprofit focused on creating “engaging experiences, which then supports local businesses.” Porchfest, which began in Ithaca, New York 18 years ago, is part of a growing international phenomenon, and Montclair has now joined the movement.
Literature and Film
Montclair’s creative environment has also attracted numerous writers and the town celebrates its literary connections through events like the Montclair Literary Festival, a collaborative effort involving the Montclair Public Library, the Montclair Art Museum, and local booksellers, featuring panels, workshops, and talks. The podcast also touches on storytelling with mentions of the Montclair Story Salon and poetry slams [previous summary from podcast, not explicitly in text but implied].
In the realm of film, Montclair hosts the annual Montclair Film Festival, providing a significant platform for filmmakers. The festival’s co-head and artistic director, Tom Hall, shared insights on Episode 11, noting that “Montclair is a very sophisticated audience. There’s a lot of folks who are involved in film and media and journalism in the community who are very smart, plugged into the industry.” He describes Montclair Film as an “anchor cultural institution in Montclair that provides all kinds of different touch points for folks to get involved in film”. These touch points include volunteering, taking classes, attending movies at The Clairidge (which Montclair Film operates), and participating in the festival. Hall also highlighted the importance of engaging young people, stating, “you need to capture young people and get them excited about the arts, film, going to film, going to see shows, creating things themselves, getting involved in creative careers. I think Montclair does a really great job of that”.
There’s also Montclair’s cameo in the TV show Mad Men, where a character bragged about the town’s culture, including the Wellmont and the Art Museum. The town has also served as a filming location for shows like The Sopranos, with specific nods to Applegate Farms and Tierney’s. Actress Kristen Connolly, who grew up in Montclair, shared in the podcast how she remembers “a lot of arts and a lot of creative projects” from her time in Montclair schools and says being back “feels familiar but also, you know, new in a lot of ways. There’s so much more here than there was when I was growing up.” She attributes her career in the arts partly to her upbringing in Montclair. The potential for local film production was also discussed, with the observation that “film-related people in the community” mean “the standard of work that’s coming out of Moclair is just as good as a lot of stuff that we’re seeing elsewhere.”
Performing Arts
Beyond music and film, Montclair boasts a variety of live theater venues and a thriving community engaged in the performing arts. These include the Vanguard Theater Company, known for its dedication to diversity and inclusion in storytelling. Other venues include Montclair State University’s Kasser Theater and theater in Life Hall, the Studio Playhouse, and the former Whole Theatre where Olympia Dukakis served as Artistic Director. The town also has a public stage on Bloomfield Avenue used for events. Our Episode 11 conversation touched on the much-anticipated reopening of the Bellevue Theater in Upper Montclair, which has been vacant since 2017. Paul Sayegh, whose family owns the building, shared the vision to revive the theater, describing it as a place that “holds great value to the community. It’s a gem in Montclair.” The plans involve restoring the theater and adding retail and apartments around it.
Montclair’s commitment to the arts is evident in its historical institutions, its diverse range of contemporary events, and the deep pool of creative talent that calls it home. From the legacy of the Montclair Art Museum to the international draw of the Montclair Jazz Festival and the storytelling championed by Montclair Film, the town continues to live up to its reputation as a cultural hub. As we explored throughout Episode 11 and the information available, Montclair offers an exceptionally rich environment for artists and art lovers alike.
