Arts Place will present bluegrass band Bearfoot in Hall-Moser Theatre at Arts Place, Portland Center on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the 2011-12 performance series,Singing the Blues. Advance tickets are $18 for adults and $9 for students, or $20 and $10 on the day of the show. Tickets are available at the box office, by phone at 260-726-4809, or toll-free 866-539-9911.

With Alaskan roots, Telluride winner Bearfoot is one of the young bands reshaping American roots music. Drawing from a broad range of music styles including bluegrass, old-time, folk, country, Cajun, blues and western swing, the female-fronted acoustic quintet delivers a powerful live show. Bearfoot shows feature intimate lead vocals, arrangements of award-winning original songs, tight harmonies, instrumental prowess, even the occasional twin-fiddle tune punctuated with Appalachian flat-foot dancing. The band’s first album on Compass Records, Doors and Windows, debuted at number one on the Billboard bluegrass chart.

“Old time, roots, Americana, folk, bluegrass—whatever...it’s just plain old pleasure.” - The Boston Globe

Start your holiday shopping early! Arts Place will be holding its 29th annual Holiday Benefit Auction on Friday, November 18, 2011 in Goodrich Hall at Arts Place's Portland Center. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and bidding starts at 6:00 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. Free refreshments will be provided throughout the evening.

The Holiday Benefit Auction is the kickoff event for the Arts Place annual campaign. All proceeds from the auction will support the programs and activities of Arts Place in Indiana and Ohio, including Arts in the Parks, CreativeWorks, exhibits, the annual performance series, and more.

Individuals and area businesses donate all auction items, including trips, gift items, collectibles, gift certificates, museum passes, sports tickets, and much more. To donate an item or service for the Holiday Benefit Auction, or for more information, please contact Sue Burk at 260-726-4809.

Click here for a partial list of auction items

Auctioneering services provided by Loy Auction & Realty. Refreshments provided in part by First Merchants Bank.

Photography by Rebecca James of The Alcove

Visit the galleries at Arts Place for new and exciting visual arts displays. Mark your calendars for these spectacular exhibits.

Hugh N. Ronald Gallery at the Portland Center

Lisa Merida-Paytes - through November 5, 2011

2011 Holiday Show - Collective Imaginations - An Alcove Debut
November 11 through December 22, 2011
Meet the Artists Thursday, December 1 from 6-8pm
Discover the creative works of the newly founded local artist cooperative, The Alcove. The Hugh N. Ronald Gallery will be filled with unique artwork perfect for the holidays!

The Gallery at the Collective Center

Reflections on the Civil War - through November 6, 2011
Sponsored by St. Marys Living Center. This exhibit is on loan from the Fort Wayne Museum of Art

Lynn Rowe Reed - November 16, 2011 through January 3, 2012
The exhibit features a series of reproductions created from the children's book, Roscoe and the Pelican Rescue, by Fort Wayne author and illustrator Lynn Rowe Reed. This exhibit is on loan from the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

Thaddeus Rex will perform in Hall-Moser Theatre at Arts Place, Portland Center on Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 4pm. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students, and may be purchased at the box office or by phone at 260-726-4809 or toll-free 866-539-9911.

Read like a rock star!! Thaddeus Rex is an award winning musician who entertains with a wild mixture of rockin’ tunes, hilarious antics, and a contagious enthusiasm for reading. With a seven foot dinosaur named Rock, together they put on high energy concerts known for hooking parents and wow-ing kids. Can you manage the mischief of a 7 foot dinosaur? Can you deal with the danger? Can you Roar Like a Rock Star? There's something here for the kid in us all!

"Reminiscent of David Bowie, with flashes of Monty Python, Dr. Seuss, and Shel Silverstein" - Time Out NY Kids

Save the date for the MusicWorks Christmas Concert on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at 7:00pm in Hall-Moser Theatre at Arts Place, Portland Center. Enjoy holiday music from Jay County Community Band, Eastern Breeze Flute Ensemble, and Distant Thunder Percussion Ensemble. The performance is open to the public and admission is free.

Major funding for MusicWorks is provided by The George and Frances Ball Foundation. Jay County Community Band is sponsored by Delta Theta Tau Sorority, Xi Chapter. Eastern Breeze Flute Ensemble is sponsored by WPGW and WZBD Radio Stations.