TO THE NINES Will Celebrate Art and Support South Florida Creative Programs

October 10 fundraiser at MAD Arts will bring the nine muses to life while supporting arts education, literary programs, live performances, and opportunities for artists across South Florida.

Art Prevails Project will transform MAD Arts Museum (481 S Federal Hwy, Dania Beach, FL 33004) into an immersive world of creativity on Art Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 6-10 p.m. for To the Nines, a one-of-a-kind fundraising experience supporting the organization's work to engage and impact communities through performance and education. 

Inspired by the nine muses of Greek mythology, To the Nines will invite guests to experience art rather than merely observe it. Throughout the evening, diverse forms of artistic expression will unfold across MAD Arts, a state-of-the-art museum known for blending digital innovation, technology, and experiential art.

Guests can expect an interactive painting experience, custom-written poetry, a live harpist, a fashion show, pop-up theatrical performances, live music from a dynamic band, and other artistic surprises celebrating the many ways creativity connects and inspires people.

'To the Nines celebrates what becomes possible when we create space for artists, young people, and communities to experience the arts' power,' said Darius Daughtry, founder and executive artistic director of Art Prevails Project. 'We want people to walk into MAD Arts and be surrounded by creativity, and we also want them to understand that their support makes this creative engagement possible throughout the year.'

For the Art Prevails Project, the fundraiser is much more than a single evening. It is an investment in the organization's year-round work at the intersection of the arts, education, and community.

Through the literary and performing arts, Art Prevails Project creates opportunities for young people and adults to discover their voices, experience culturally relevant programming, and connect through storytelling and performance.

The organization's work includes:

• Arts education: Bringing teaching artists and creative programming into schools and classrooms, giving students opportunities to write, perform, explore, and express themselves through the arts.
• Our Voices: Creating literary experiences that elevate storytelling, poetry, and spoken word, and that amplify the voices of community members whose stories deserve to be heard.
• Live performances: Producing culturally relevant theatrical, musical, poetic, and multidisciplinary experiences that bring audiences and artists together.
• Artist opportunities: Providing platforms for poets, actors, musicians, dancers, writers, and other creatives to develop and share their work.
• Community engagement: Using performance and education to create spaces where people can see themselves and their experiences reflected in art.

At the center of that work is a simple belief: everyone deserves access to the arts and the opportunity to discover the power of their own creative voice.

As arts and cultural organizations navigate an increasingly uncertain funding environment, community support has become even more critical to sustaining programs that reach students, employ artists, and make arts experiences accessible.

'The need for creative spaces isn't disappearing,' Daughtry said. 'Our communities need places where young people can discover that their stories matter, where artists can create, and where people can come together and see themselves reflected. Every ticket purchased, sponsorship secured, and contribution made through To the Nines helps us continue that work.'

Rather than following the format of a traditional gala, To the Nines is designed as an experience in motion, with guests discovering performances, installations, and artistic encounters throughout the evening.

The setting at MAD Arts provides a fitting backdrop for an event centered on imagination. The museum's fusion of art, technology, and immersive environments will complement performances and experiences inspired by the nine muses, traditionally associated with poetry, music, dance, history, comedy, tragedy, and other forms of artistic and intellectual expression.

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