"It's hard to write a good poem."

This Week's Episode

As part of our month-long celebration of poetry on State of the Arts, this week's episode features four of America’s greatest poets. All have strong ties to New Jersey: Pulitzer Prize winners Stephen Dunn (Stockton University) & Gregory Pardlo (Willingboro), former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky (Long Branch), and award-winning poet Brenda Shaughnessy (Rutgers-Newark).

NJ PBS

Sat, 4/11 @ 7:30 pm

Sun, 4/12 @ 9:30 am

WNET Thirteen

Sun, 4/12 @ 11:30 am

ALL ARTS

Mon, 4/13 @ 10:30 am & 3:30 pm

Wed, 4/15 @ 10 am & 3 pm

Stephen Dunn / Gregory Pardlo, photo: Bryan Derballa / Robert Pinsky / Brenda Shaughnessy, photo: Janea Wiedmann

Find out where (and how) to watch!

National Poetry Month

This month, we're highlighting voices of women poets from the State of the Arts library.

Esteemed poet and activist Sonia Sanchez sat down with State of the Arts host Amber Edwards on April 5th, 2001, after a moving reading of her poem “For Sweet Honey in the Rock.” In this powerful archive interview, Sanchez discusses racism, empathy, and the transformative power of poetry. She shares her belief that “if you bring it to them in beautiful language, they are willing to open up to the truth.” Watch here.

On the Blog

"Not all comedy has the sweetness and the heart and the love that is in Danny’s poetry." – Poet Alicia Ostriker

April is National Poetry Month! We're returning to this blog post about CavanKerry Press and New Jersey poet Danny Shot. Read here.

Happening Now

We were saddened to learn of Kevin Sampson's passing on March 16. Did you know he was the first African American police sketch artist in the nation? After early retirement from the force, he became a successful artist known for his found-object sculptures. He even appeared as himself (although fully animated) in an episode of Arthur! In 2018, we visited Kevin on location at his months-long artist residency at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut (while there, he lived on a boat). This month, the Paul Robeson Galleries at Express Newark is dedicating a special session of their Drop-In Drawing program to Kevin. See here for more information on this free event, happening April 15.

Our related story: Artist Kevin Sampson.

An artwork by Isabelle Duverger is included in the slate of 2026 Digital Artists at Newark Liberty Terminal A, organized by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, the New Jersey Council on the Arts, and Munich Airport NJ LLC. The group of artworks share a common theme, focusing on the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution

Our stories featuring work by Isabelle Duverger: Falling Sky, The Data Forest.

Join Passage Theatre Company for their 2026 Gala: "Freedom Has No Rehearsal" at the Trenton War Memorial on April 25! See here for more info and tickets to support our capital city's only professional theater.

Our related stories: The OK Trenton Project, Paradise, This Trenton Life.

Don't miss Toshiko Takaezu: Dialogues in Clay, on view at the Princeton University Art Museum through July!

Our related documentaries: Toshiko Takaezu: Portrait of an Artist, and Toshiko Takaezu: In the Stars.

Highlights

Artist Robert Birmelin has spent more than 75 years exploring how we see and remember the world. Now in his 90s, his evolving visual style takes a new turn. We visit the celebrated figurative painter in his Leonia studio as curiosity and age inspire new approaches to a career spanning over seven decades.

Our 2026 story: Robert Birmelin.

Mighty Writers is on a mission to help kids think clearly and write with purpose. In Atlantic City, Senior Director Tom Sykes and his team use creative approaches and community partnerships to spark imagination and connection—redefining what care and community look like, uplifting young voices with the power of the written word.

Our 2025 story: Mighty Writers.