About Us: The New Jersey Performing Arts Center held its world premiere on October 18, 1997. After a decade of planning and a $187 million capital campaign, the last great performing arts center to open in the 20th century debuted to great fanfare and acclaim. Since that time, more than 3.5 million people have visited NJPAC to see the world's greatest performers and New Jersey's top talent, to attend one of hundreds of special events, or to participate in the Arts Center's nationally recognized Arts Education program (Philip S. Thomas, Founding Vice President of Arts Education). The artistry on view at NJPAC has been breathtaking, the diversity of the performances unparalleled -- from Itzhak Perlman to 'N Sync, Lauryn Hill to the Vienna Choir Boys, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The venues themselves have also won critical kudos: Prudential Hall has been praised as "one of the world's great concert halls" (Hans Fantel, former music critic for The New York Times) and the Victoria Theater was dubbed "a gem" by The New York Times. NJPAC is easily accessible by car or public transportation, and offers plenty of safe, affordable parking. Friendly faces greet you at every turn. The food in Theater Square Grill is four-star. And the seats? Well, with excellent sound and sight lines, every seat at NJPAC is "the best seat in the house." NJPAC is receiving credit for spurring an unprecedented revitalization of Newark -- New Jersey's largest city. With developers and tenants recognizing Newark as the next great place to be, the return of the Newark Bears in their magnificent new stadium, the anticipated construction of a new arena to host the New Jersey Devils, and new restaurants and small businesses opening at a steady clip, Newark is on the move. And many point to NJPAC as the reason for renewed interest and pride in New Jersey's historic city.