Founded in 1997 by a small group of artists, artisans and art administrators, the Guild was provided with a building for use by the City of Rahway (the original Rahway Public Library c. 1869) which was renovated during 1998. Programs began in February 1999. During our first year we presented twelve jazz concerts and a series of art exhibits.

Since that time the programs, events and activities have increased in quantity and quality to include a broad range of the Arts.

Each year we produce a series of fine art exhibitions primarily featuring the talented emerging artists of New Jersey. Our monthly exhibits include a wide range of styles, mediums and genres---painting, sculpture, photography, original prints, drawing, mixed media, collage, digital art and video. Our support of New Jersey artists is unparalleled among other museums and art centers of our state. The art we have found and present here is every bit as innovative, dynamic and well crafted as any that can be found either in our state or nearby New York. It is our aim to provide both an overview of this exciting contemporary art of New Jersey, a superb and much needed venue for showcasing the work of our state’s artists and an opportunity for the creation of new works to be presented to a multi-county regional public.

Art Education has been our focus since 2000. Each year we offer a series teens and children at all levels of experience. The classes, taught by extremely qualified instructors with advanced degrees and significant experience and are designed to serve the beginning and intermediate or advanced students.

In addition to our multi-week classes we offer a series of one-day art workshops for adults where artists can learn exciting new techniques to enhance their art making and to create original artworks with these new techniques.

Our exciting current program is a connection to our community---the Pre-K Art Education Initiative. Since winter 2007, the Guild has been providing art instruction for 140 or more Pre-K (4 and 5 year old) students in the four elementary schools of the Rahway Public School District. This program addresses an important aspect of our mission---to encourage life-long learning in the Arts. Our Pre-K program aims to introduce young children to the processes of art making to develop a beginning vocabulary of art terms and to allow them to make unique, personal choices in the practice of their creativity and the production of artworks.

Over the past ten years, Arts Guild New Jersey has held screenings of original Independent Films, hosted or produced seminars and lectures on arts and cultural topics, hosted a monthly networking night for artists of all disciplines (Usual Suspects Nights), presented free concerts in the City for children, families or adults and created strong bonds to arts centers, museums and other creative endeavors around the State of New Jersey.