Join the Visual Arts Center of NJ at the For Art’s Sake Weekend 2011

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey’s will hold its annual For Art’s Sake Weekend fundraiser on April 1-3.  

The three-day event begins on Friday, April 1, as guests board coach buses with gourmet boxed lunches to visit the private homes of noted contemporary art collectors Patricia A. Bell and Ann Schaffer. Following the tour, guests will return to the Art Center for a dessert reception to preview the silent auction art work and meet artists who donated their work to the Blank Canvas silent auction, part of Saturday evening’s Blank Canvas Benefit.  Blank Canvas is the Art Center’s signature event, with a silent auction featuring the work of over 100 artists created especially for this benefit. Guests will enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres from David Ellis Catering, fine wines and festive cocktails featuring Belvedere Vodka as they bid on one-of-a-kind works of art. Tickets for the Road Trip tour and Blank Canvas Benefit may be purchased online or at the Art Center’s reception desk.

The For Art’s Sake Weekend culminates with an open house for the entire community on Sunday, April 3. Participants can get creative in a variety of art workshops, including graffiti drawing, custom sneaker design, jewelry making, digital photography, and ceramics, savor kid-friendly fare from the GARAGE Burgers & Fries of Millburn, and take a chance on a 50-50 raffle. Segunda Qumbamba, a percussion and dance ensemble from Jersey City, New Jersey, will provide the afternoon’s entertainment by bringing Puerto Rico’s traditional Bomba and Plena drum music and dance to Summit.

Recognized for excellence, the Art Center’s educational programs serve school districts and a range of service providers whose programming has been greatly diminished or eliminated due to budget cuts. Each year over 3,500 K-12 students and an additional 1,000 children and adults with special needs benefit from the programs. For Art’s Sake Weekend is the Art Center’s major fundraising event, with proceeds supporting the Art Center’s education programs, exhibitions and outreach initiatives. Since its inception in 2005, For Art’s Sake has netted over $625,000 to support arts education programs.