TOM SZAKY is co-founder & CEO of TerraCycle, the company that is transforming garbage into innovative products. Watch him discuss how to unite purpose, passion & profits below, and learn more about booking Tom for your next event today.

  The Jersey Fresh Jam — one of Trenton and New Jersey’s coolest and most earnest arts events — is set for another colorful afternoon of graffiti painting and hip-hop music on Saturday, August 17, from noon to 6 p.m. The annual location is the grounds of TerraCycle on New York Avenue. Launched in 2005 and coordinated by Trenton artist Leon Rainbow, the event attracts hundreds of art lovers and street artists who within hours cover thousands of square feet of walls with color and design — such as those by the street artist RAS who created the photo-like image seen on this issue’s cover. “In the beginning, the first Jam was just for us,” says Rainbow about the free and family-welcoming event. “Then after a while it became more and more open. It’s interesting for the public to see who we are and what we do it. It’s a good thing to get together and have a good time and enjoy our culture.” jerseyfreshjam.com.

Illuminated screening, Diasporic Body: Jesus & Egunexploring Yoruba spiritual practice, honoring the legacy of a star gone way too soon in Nipsey Hussle, or celebrating and giving access to a hit movie that centers Asian American voices, the diversity of Philadelphia shines bright.

  Eastern State Penitentiary Incarcerated Films   Eastern State Penitentiary debuts its latest project, Hidden Lives Illuminated, this weekend. New animated films created by currently incarcerated artists will be projected onto Eastern State's gothic façade three times every night from August 15 through September 12. The event is free, open to the public, and is appropriate for people of all ages. Screenings are about 40 minutes and the first each night begins at 7pm. Additional programs will feature presentations by scholars, community leaders, activisits, artists, victims’ advocates, and elected officials and will include discussions, hands-on activities, letter writing, and more.   Crazy Rich Asians at Clark Park   Movies in Clark Park continues with a screening of the hit romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians. There will be food vendors aplenty, and the screening is free on Friday, August 16, at 8pm.   Scribe’s Street Movies!   Scribe Video Center’s screening series Street Movies! continues with a handful of screenings and a performance by Cambodian American Girls Empowering! dance troupe and Catzie Vilayphonh as emcee. The films screening at Mifflin Square Park at 6th and Ritner Streets on Friday, August 16, include:  

• FILL and Moo, a Japanese short clay animation
• Khema, a Cambodian tribute to traditional Khmer dance
• Me, a film about two generations of Vietnamese moms reimagining their family pho shop
• The Woodland, a story of a Cuban grandfather who teaches his granddaughter his worldview through nature's mysteries
• Afterearth, a documentary about the rising sea levels that threaten Hawai’i, the Phillippines, China, and North America through the eyes of four women looking to preserve their motherlands.

  See the rest of their upcoming screenings online.   Nipsey Hustle Tribute Exhibit   Philly Art Collective is hosting a tribute exhibit for activist, entrepreneur, and rapper Nipsey Hussle, whose life was cut short this past spring. His legacy and impact still ripples through, and Philly Art Collective is gathering local artists that will feature Hussle-themed artwork on Saturday, August 17, at 2pm. Portions of donations will go to selected arts organizations. The free tickets have already gone, but donation-based admission is still available online.   Jersey Fresh Jam At Trenton   Need a refresher course on the five elements of hip-hop? Well, the Jersey Fresh Jam is here to learn ya! A free, all-day celebration of live painting and hip-hop music is happening at TerraCycle headquarters in Trenton, New Jersey, on Saturday, August 17. Starting at noon, the 14th annual Jersey Fresh Jam will feature over 50 graffiti artists and live performances and turn TerraCycle into an urban art garden with new murals and creative sculptures.   QUEST Screening   QUEST, a documentary that saw its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, is screening at Norris Square Park, 2100 North Howard Street, on Saturday, August 17, at 8pm. The verité film composed over nearly a decade, QUEST looks at the Rainey family, living in North Philadelphia as they nurture a community of hip-hop artists in their home music studio. The sanctuary isn’t always the shield they need, though, and viewers can see the story of race, class, love, healing, and hope unfold this weekend. The screening is free; be sure to bring your own blankets and chairs.   The Diasporic Body   The African American Musuem of Philadelphia will present a performance of Lela Aisha Jones’s Diasporic Body: Jesus & Egun on Sunday, August 18, at 3pm. The Bessie Award-nominated work speaks to the diverse ways in which Yoruba-rooted artistic, cultural, and spiritual practices are expressed in black American life. The work specifically looks at three states of being that include the Mothers of the church, the transcendent human potential of freestyle in the social dance form House, and matrons of Yoruba spiritual practice. Tickets are $8 in advance, $14 at the door, and free for AAMP members.  

Art enthusiasts of all ages are invited to attend a free, all-day celebration of live painting and hip-hop music at TerraCycle headquarters in Trenton Saturday, August 17, Noon-7 p.m. Now celebrating its 14th year, the annual Jersey Fresh Jam is one the most respected celebrations of Hip-Hop culture on the east coast. Visitors can watch over 50 graffiti artists express their vision on the walls of TerraCycle and catch live performances from entertainers from around the country. Organized by Jersey Fresh Jam co-founder and Trenton-based graffiti artist Leon Rainbow and the national art collective Vicious Styles Crew, the event features the four performing elements of Hip-Hop: MCing, DJing, graffiti, and breakdancing. Nearly a dozen guest musical artists, including Roscoe (SKOE), King Who?, Patrice McBride, Jason Famous and Pretty Ugly will showcase their talent while DJs and breakdancers perform throughout the afternoon. Local food vendors will also be on-hand serving a variety of food. 2019 Jersey Fresh Jam Event Details: Saturday, August 17 – noon to 7pm. The event is held at TerraCycle HQ: 1 TerraCycle Way, Trenton, N.J. 08638. (Rain Date: Sunday, August 18).  

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Web designer by day and artist by trade, local Trenton artist, Leon Rainbow, has made a name for himself with his graffiti artwork for more than 20 years. From complete murals to gallery openings, to body painting, ink canvassing and teaching art, Rainbow spends a majority of his life surrounded by color and creativity. Rainbow grew up in California and says as a kid he loved playing with bristle blocks, brightly colored plastic shapes that stick together with rounded bristles. By second grade he was drawn to artwork at the same time as break-dancing and hip-hop became popular. He became inspired to get into the related world of graffiti. Rainbow made his first graffiti tag–a stylized single-color graffiti signature–at the age of 13. He cut school and stole markers. “That was like our rebellious thing that we did when I was a kid,” he says. Rainbow’s rebellious childhood later lead to a battle with addiction, but now he has 22 years clean and he has used his decades in recovery to advance his work. “Being in recovery totally revolutionized my life…I couldn’t have been successful, or at least to the level I am now, if I was still getting high,” he says. The success Rainbow was able to achieve exists in many different forms. He made his first Trenton mural 20 years ago in 1999. For a time he attended MCCC and is an alumn. In 2005 he began working for the Trenton based organization, Terracycle. Veronica Rajadnya, Writing and Content Manager of TerraCycle says the organization is “a company on a mission to eliminate the idea of waste…Leon Rainbow has been working with TerraCycle since before I got here…I believe as far back as the very first graffiti jam.” The graffiti jam is part of a larger and popular Trenton festival called Jersey Fresh Jam, which features art, music and creativity from the locals. Rajadnya says, “[Rainbow] has a big personality, really fun to be around…very much a friend of TerraCycle…sometimes he’ll come in and say hi to all of us during the graffiti jams.” Originally called the Worm Poop Jam, the Jersey Fresh Jam festival consists of 50 graffiti artists, 10 music performers, 5- 10 DJs and food vendors. Rainbow describes it as “A real hip-hop party.” It is located right outside of the TerraCycle office at 121 New York Ave. in Trenton. Graffiti artists from Trenton, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore travel to this event to repaint the walls of their “cork yard”. “[It’s] basically like an all day party,” Rajadnya says. Currently, Rainbow and Terracycle are collaborating on a newer project called “Scrapped,” a showcase of work made from upcycled and reclaimed art located at the BSB gallery; a short walk from Mercer’s JKC campus. All of the artworks are created by artists associated directly with the TerraCycle company. In the past, Rainbow has done graffiti aerosol classes at Terracycle, and he will be teaching them again throughout the spring and summer starting in April. He has also taught after school classes in Trenton and Princeton for 3 years. Another music festival Rainbow is associated with is the Levitt Festival in Trenton’s Mill Hill Park section. This project lead Rainbow to get an even bigger project with the Cure Insurance Arena. According to Rainbow, a lot of effort is needed to obtain larger and more advanced projects. “A lot of it is just taking calculated risks and trying to, you know, be able to complete the projects that you do at a high level,” he says. Rainbow adds, “There’s a lot of people that probably could be more talented than me that might not have the same mindset that I have and might not be able to do the things I’ve been able to do because they’re not going to apply themselves,” he says. He continues, “If you’re dedicated and you do it enough and have a passion for it, then you’ll get noticed.” Jersey Fresh Jam will be held at the end of August. See Rainbow’s work at the running show “Scrapped” at the BSB gallery, ending April 13th, and his website www.leonrainbow.com 

The seven-hour jam took place Saturday at TerraCycle’s headquarters here in New Jersey’s capital city. The event began with overcast skies that eventually burst with rain, starting with a drizzle that escalated into a brief shower alongside occasional roars of thunder.

Art enthusiasts of all ages are invited to attend a free, all-day celebration of live painting and hip-hop music at TerraCycle headquarters in Trenton Saturday, August 11, noon-7pm. The 13th Annual Jersey Fresh Jam is New Jersey’s premier urban arts festival.

Celebrating a music genre that might sometimes get lost within the see of Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi fans in the area comes the Jersey Fresh Graffiti Jam, an event held in Trenton that is all-day, all-ages, and all-inclusive. The event is taking the four main components of hip-hop and putting them all in one place for people to explore and enjoy: DJing, MCing, graffiti art, and breakdancing. These four elements make up the culture and genre that is hip-hop, making it a celebration of its roots and the love people have had for it for decades. With over a dozen musical performances, tens of food vendors, and over 50 graffiti artists, what will be seen is an expression and an appreciation that will surely bring the community together. The Terracycle HQ in Trenton is hosting the über fun, eclectic urban arts event this Saturday, August 11 from noon until 7 p.m.

TerraCycle headquarters located at 121 New York Avenue in Trenton is hosting the 13th annual Jersey Fresh Jam, an all-day celebration of hip hop and urban art, Saturday, August 11 from noon-7 p.m. Attendees of this free, all-ages event can enjoy: + Musical performances from over a a dozen hip hop artists, including Ren Thomas (featured on VH1's Signed), Tina Roy and Solo For Dolo + Live graffiti and wall writing from more than 50 artists