Mark the calendar for The Great Art Heist, Dare Arts’ fundraising auction, which will open in their Gallery in downtown Manteo on Friday, October 7.

“The Great Art Heist is Dare Arts’ only fundraiser of the year, so our community’s participation is vital to supporting the arts on the Outer Banks,” said Event Chairs Bea Basnight and Gail Midgett. “We hope you will bid in-person and online to snatch up some amazing art and help us meet our fundraising goal for 2022.”

Bidding will begin at 6pm on Friday, October 7 in Dare Arts’ Courtroom Gallery with a special reception including a live jazz performance. Online bidding at DareArts.org/artauction will begin at the same time.

"Many of our generous artists have donated some of their best work to this year's Art Heist," said Dare Arts Gallery Manager Tiffany Lindsey. "We expect the bidding to be lively and competitive."

Artists willing to donate a piece of artwork or a performing arts experience to The Great Art Heist can email Dare Arts Gallery Manager Tiffany Lindsey at [email protected] to coordinate details.

Private viewings of The Great Art Heist will be available throughout October. To schedule a private viewing with a group of friends or for your business, please email Dare Arts Executive Director Jessica Sands at [email protected].

Final bids must be in by 8:00pm on Friday, October 28.

Thank you to TowneBank for returning as the presenting sponsor of The Great Art Heist for the third consecutive year.

“TowneBank is honored to once again serve as presenting sponsor for The Great Art Heist in support of Dare Arts on the Outer Banks,” said Taylor Sugg, TowneBank Northeastern North Carolina president. “This event showcases outstanding local and regional artists and raises funds for Dare Arts. TowneBank is happy to support the mission of Dare Arts as they work to promote the arts on the Outer Banks.

Businesses interested in sponsoring The Great Art Heist should contact Dare Arts Executive Director Jessica Sands at [email protected].

For more information about the event, please visit DareArts.org/artauction or call (252) 473-5558.

Dare Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to encouraging the arts in Dare County through advocacy, enrichment and opportunity.

Founded in 1999, TowneBank is a company built on relationships, offering a full range of banking and other financial services, with a focus of serving others and enriching lives. Dedicated to a culture of caring, Towne values all employees and members by embracing their diverse talents, perspectives, and experiences. 

Today, the bank operates over 40 banking offices throughout Hampton Roads and Central Virginia, as well as Northeastern and Central North Carolina – serving as a local leader in promoting the social, cultural, and economic growth in each community. Towne offers a competitive array of business and personal banking solutions, delivered with only the highest ethical standards. Experienced local bankers providing a higher level of expertise and personal attention with local decision-making are key to the TowneBank strategy. Towne has grown its capabilities beyond banking to provide expertise through its controlled divisions and subsidiaries that include Towne Wealth Management, Towne Insurance Agency, Towne Benefits, TowneBank Mortgage, TowneBank Commercial Mortgage, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Towne Realty, Towne 1031 Exchange, LLC, and Towne Vacations. With total assets of $16.67 billion as of March 31, 2022, TowneBank is one of the largest banks headquartered in Virginia.