The 21st annual Jersey City tour will contain a lot that’s new: A major new art venue, concerts, and the first Powerhouse Short Film Festival.

The new 125,000-square-foot Mana Contemporary Art Center, a former industrial complex located at 888 Newark Ave. on the outskirts of Journal Square, joins the Studio Tour for the first time as host of the Studio Tour Kick-Off Celebration (Sept. 30, 6 – 10 p.m.)

Mana Contemporary Art Center features open studios, curated exhibitions by Jim Pustorino (Victory Arts Projects) and Michelle Mumoli (Pop Up Art), as well as their major in-house show “Our Own Directions: 40 Years of Photorealism.”

Also open for the 2011 Studio Tour is the Mana Contemporary Annex, located at 227 Coles St., presenting curator Tina Maneca’s Exquisite Corpse exhibition - which features collaborative art created by over 70 Jersey City artists.

The Powerhouse Short Film Festival opens Friday Sept. 30 in the Powerhouse Arts District, and features dozens of short independent films showing on the street under tents throughout Studio Tour weekend.

Woolpunk Studios (298 Newark Ave.), a new downtown artist run space, also opens for its first Studio Tour with a group show featuring work by Michelle Loughlin and Margaret Murphy.

Also new as a Studio Tour venue is Liberty Science Center, hosting a community exhibition that features Jersey City artists Bojana Coklyat, Stephanie Riggi, Vanessa Holly and more.

Gallery exhibition highlights include:

“Evolutionary Psy Wear” at Mary Benson Gallery (369 Third St.), curated by Uta Brauser of Creative Grove Art Market.

“Dividing light, Measuring Darkness” at Curious Matter Gallery (272 Fifth St.) Gallery owners Raymond E. Mingst and Arthur Bruso deliver another meticulously curated and inscrutable exhibition.

“Gatherings” at 58 Gallery presents new work by painter Kirk Bray.

Brennan Courthouse showcases Sandra Swieder’s 911 documentary photography in “From Across The River.”

Artist studios open for Studio Tour weekend include “Garfield Shows” at 2 Union Street, The Penthouse at 326 Montgomery, Alvin Pettit Studio at 34 Astor Place, and Gaia Studio at 315 Third.

The Eighth Annual Fourth Street Art & Music Fest returns as a major Studio Tour venue with even more artists, open studios, murals, food, bands, and beer.

Parlay Studios hosts the Studio Tour Closing Party for its second year, as well as displaying the Pro Arts Members Exhibition, curated by Merideth Lippman.

Free Studio Tour bus service will shuttle visitors to and from major tour sites.