Township of Maplewood Announces New Manager of Arts and Culture Effective March 25, 2024, Zakiyyah Williams Joins Maplewood Township in this Position
By TOWNSHIP OF MAPLEWOOD
Published March 25, 2024 at 1:00 AM
Zakiyyah is a seasoned Arts, Culture, and Wellness Specialist with a total of 22 years of experience in her field. She recently transitioned to Maplewood Township after serving as the Executive Director of Arts, Culture & Wellness at Zeal Cre8tive Studio™, for a decade. During her time at Zeal, she oversaw the organization's development and growth, nurturing over 4600 residential wellness entrepreneurs, artists, and art-based organizations. She also provided Professional development, Arts, Culture & Wellness services to over 126,000 community members annually, with 40% of those members being local artists.
Zakiyyah is currently pursuing a second degree in Arts in Behavioral Health and Art Therapy. She is recognized as an international Arts Counselor and Installation Artist, with recent collaborations at the Urban Nation Museum for Urban and Contemporary Arts in Berlin, Germany.
Zakiyyah has facilitated a multitude of Art based classes, events and curated many successful national and international art shows. In addition, she held the position of president at Creative Spirits of the State of NJ, a 47-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to making Art Therapy and Legal Aid accessible to communities in need.
With a strong focus on program development, community engagement, curating, Zakiyyah has effectively managed diverse events and festivals, including the Peace in the Park Festival, which has garnered national recognition since 2020.
Zakiyyah's national recognition extends through partnerships with various organizations, stakeholders, and municipalities in New Jersey, Washington DC, Houston TX, and New York. She has overseen Art, Culture, development and community growth of organizations such as Philadelphia Museum of Arts, Rutgers University Newark and New Brunswick, Cares Park, Maplewood NJ, Valley Arts District, West Orange and Orange NJ, The Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District, Inc., City of Orange, NJ, City of Newark NJ as well as institutions in Washington DC including Catholic University, Trinity University, and the University of the District of Columbia.
As the Manager of Arts and Culture for Maplewood, NJ, Zakiyyah continues her commitment to promoting arts, culture, and wellness in a city that values diversity and inclusion. Her innovative approach in blending art, culture, and holistic wellness has created a transformative space for artists, practitioners, and community members to thrive and heal collectively. Zakiyyah brings a passion for the arts, inclusivity, strategic acumen, and strong community engagement skills to Maplewood's already vibrant arts community.
Zakiyyah Williams
Manager of Arts & Culture
Maplewood Division of Arts & Culture
zwilliams@maplewoodnj.gov
The mission of the Division of Arts & Culture, under the Community Service Department is to foster a creative community of artists and organizations, enhancing the quality of life for residents of Maplewood by ensuring that arts & culture experiences are inclusive and accessible to all.