NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL.- Horsin’ Around's innovative beginning came 37 years ago on a horse farm in Edgewater (hence the name), where barbeque was served up and artwork was wired to the side of a truck and auctioned off. From there the popular event was staged under a tent as big as a football field, complete with gourmet food, wines and a vintage car show; and most recently it travelled to the Brannon Civic Center with its panoramic views of the Intracoastal Waterway. No matter where the venue has been, the community champions Atlantic Center for the Arts annual Horsin’ Around auction, raising a paddle in support of its mission and programming.

This year, Atlantic Center for the Arts is asking supporters to show up, but due to COVID-19, stay at home.

The auction will move from an in-person event to a virtual event by utilizing the online bidding platform, OneCause. Three years ago, the shift was made to OneCause for the silent auction portion of the day, and this year, supporters are asked to “stay in their stable” and bid on auction items via their phone, iPad or computer. Bidding opens at 2 PM Friday, April 3, and ends at 2 PM Sunday, April 5, the day the Brannon Civic Center would have been filled with 450 supporters.

“We encourage guests to be creative while participating in this online version of Horsin’ Around,” said Executive Director Nancy Lowden Norman. “Have a FaceTime party or a virtual brunch with other “attendees” and enjoy the tradition of sipping on a mimosa while bidding on over 300 items!”

The event continues to generate a camaraderie that is unstoppable, while raising significant operating funds for the organization. Its hallmark is its select and unique auction offerings: trips put together by Atlantic Center Trustees, exceptional services, exciting items, and gift certificates donated by area businesses, and artwork and jewelry contributed by artists who participate in IMAGES: A Festival of the Arts.

“The most important lot in the auction by far is “Support An Artist” which last year raised over $70,000,” Lowden Norman said. “These funds are 100% tax-deductible to the donor, and directly support our mission. This is my 25th Horsin’ Around, and it is one of the most heartening moments of the year, seeing those paddles fly up in the air during this portion of the auction. I am truly going to miss seeing everyone in person, and hope we can gather in the fall to celebrate the arts together.”

Atlantic Center for the Arts has held 176 residencies at its main campus, located on 68 acres in New Smyrna Beach. Its mission is as a nonprofit interdisciplinary artists' community and arts education facility dedicated to promoting artistic excellence by providing talented midcareer artists an opportunity to work and collaborate with some of the world's most distinguished contemporary artists in the fields of music composition, and the visual, literary, and performing arts.

ACA also provides over 250 FREE public programs to the Central Florida community, including its cutting-edge Arts & Wellness program, which reaches out to all generations by connecting community health to the arts. ACA works with a dedicated team of community artists, music therapists, art therapists, and volunteers to establish ongoing dynamic programs to increase the health and wellness of elders, caregivers, veterans, active adults, youth, and artists. Many of these programs are now available online or accessible through social media.

To support Atlantic Center for the Arts, please visit its website www.atlanticcenterforthearts.org; for more information about the auction, please call 386-427-6975.