The Friendship Heart Gallery & Studio will present its 20th annual art benefit auction on Thursday, March 23, at Grace Church, 501 W. Lincoln Ave., Lititz. The event has been held virtually since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but is returning to an in-person format.

The community is invited to celebrate the talents of the Friendship Heart artists as they showcase unique creativity through various mediums of art. The event will consist of light hors d'oeuvres, a silent auction and a special program featuring the Heart artists. This year's theme was inspired by a collaborative piece of art, which will be featured in the silent auction, titled "Together, Hand in Hand."

A Paint Brush Pull will be featured once again. Attendees can purchase a numbered paintbrush or a bundle of six for an additional cost, which will enter them into a drawing for a Friendship Heart Gallery prize pack. Included in the basket are a number of Primitives by Kathy Collaborative Collection pieces, handmade cards, jewelry and a gift certificate for a framed original painting from the gallery. The winning paintbrush will be announced at the end of the program.

In addition, two "Fund-A-Need" opportunities will be available that will go into making the Lancaster City Studio space better equipped for its needs. The first Fund-A-Need item consists of large canvases so that the Heart artists have opportunities to express their creativity on a larger platform independently or collaboratively. The second Fund-A-Need opportunity will help to purchase a high-quality projector and screen, which will be used as an instructional tool and art-making tool in the studio. For more details on the Fund-A-Need items, to register for a bidder number and to purchase tickets for the in-person event, visit http://www.FriendshipArt.net/Bid.

The ticket price includes refreshments and a special program featuring the Heart artists. Those who are unable to attend the in-person event can still register to bid during the online silent auction. By providing both a phone number and an email address, auction participants will be notified when they are outbid. By providing payment information up front, auction participants will have a faster and smoother checkout process at the end of the night. Those who are attending in person must register separately for a bidder number.

Friendship Heart Studio is a day program that celebrates personalities and talent through free expression and collaboration. More than 50 artists work with professionals and volunteers to create masterpieces while developing a sense of purpose, value and freedom. The studio realizes its vision of "Expressing Capabilities" by promoting artistic skills and self-expression through various techniques while utilizing both traditional and unconventional media.

Friendship Community, a faith-based nonprofit organization, has been supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism since 1972. It offers two arts day programs, a home-based service program and 24 residential homes within Lancaster and Lebanon counties.

For more details about the auction, contact Calista White at 717-656-2466, ext. 1155, or cwhite@friendshipcommunity.net. Readers may also follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.