One of Newark’s cultural anchors that for more than two decades has redefined the borders and influence of a traditional performing arts center has plans to broaden its reach.

And it’s getting new leadership to see it through.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center is welcoming two co-chairs to its board of directors, RWJBarnabas Health President and CEO Barry Ostrowsky and Steven Goldman, a senior partner at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, starting next month.

Ostrowsky and Goldman succeed John R. Strangfeld, retired chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, as NJPAC continues its work with youth education programs and plans its next stage of development.

“The mission of NJPAC was not exclusively the performing arts aspect but rather a true integration into the lives of the people of Newark,” Ostrowsky told NJ Advance Media. “I think it has made a very big difference.”

He said he values NJPAC’s commitment to attract young people to the arts and reach them where they are in their schools and communities.

“They’ve introduced the notion that performing arts and creativity isn’t something that should be locked in one campus,” he said. “They encourage and recruit young students to create their own plays and own performances … that reflect their own lives."

NJPAC, which bills itself as the most diverse performing arts center, opened in 1997 and since then has welcomed about 10 million visitors.

John Schreiber, president and CEO of NJPAC, said 18% of the budget is dedicated to arts education. More than 100,000 children and families have benefitted from the programing, he added, to bring the arts to where they live and hopefully, create new consumers of art.

“Most of the kids that we serve come from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds where it is sometimes hard for their voices to be heard,” Schreiber said. “When they create art they are saying to the world who they are. It’s a real key to kids finding themselves.”

NJPAC has also hosted town halls, the mayor’s state of the city address and other city events.

And, it developed One Theater Square, a 22-story luxury high-rise overlooking the performing arts center. Schreiber said there are plans to develop another seven acres of property around the center that will be a mix of residential, commercial and retail.

“A lot of our older supporters, they remember a Newark that was really a destination,” he said. “What is most interesting to me, is the question of what’s the next Newark? What is the 21st Century Newark going to be?”

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook.

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