The Connecticut Academy For The Arts (CAFTA) is bringing communities together and celebrating art by awarding prizes and scholarships to benefit those in need.
This year’s annual fundraiser will feature “Celebrities Paint For A Cause,” whereby local celebrities, who may not necessarily be recognized for their artistic ability, are asked to paint a 12x12 canvas that will then be auctioned off.
The fundraiser will take place on Friday, Jan. 17 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Nutmeg Conservatory in Torrington.
This year’s “People’s Choice Winner,” chosen by those in attendance, will be awarded $1,000 to donate to the charity of their choice.
NBC Connecticut’s Keisha Grant, who painted the canvas with her four-year-old daughter, was last year's “People’s Choice Winner.” Keisha decided to split her prize between the Maren Sanchez Home Foundation and the Ana Grace Project.
A $500 prize will also be awarded to the “People’s Choice Art Teacher” prize winner and the “People’s Choice Student” prize winner, which features grades Pre K-12. Both winners will be able to keep the money to help benefit their education or classroom.
In just under a decade, CAFTA has helped hundreds of students both financially and intellectually by bringing Arts and Culture studies to communities in need. Over $500,000 has been raised in student scholarships and non-profit organizations over the past nine years.
Anyone interested in purchasing tickets can visit http://www.cafta.info/index.html for more information.
