CREATE Arts Center, the Silver Spring-based provider of arts education and therapy services, will hold its first-ever fundraising gala this spring, according to Linda Marson Cox, the group’s executive director.

The “Paint the Town” gala will be held Saturday, April 27 from 7-11 p.m. to raise funds to support its programs and expand its art therapy services to veterans and their families.

“We wanted to bring [supporters] together and have this opportunity to raise money to support the expansion of all of our programs,” Cox said. “We’re in the big, beautiful, new space and we have the opportunity to really expand all of our existing programs.”

The gala will be held at Cissel-Saxon American Legion Post 41 at 905 Sligo Ave.

“[Post Commander] Dan Bullis has been so wonderful to CREATE and such a good partner,” Cox said. “We started talking to them about the critical needs within the veterans’ community and the amazing results that they see with returning veterans and their families who engage with art therapy.

“So that discussion kind of snowballed into ‘we’d really like to work with you,’” she added.

The gala will take over both floors of the post, as well as the outdoor barbecue area. The space is being donated at no charge by the Legion, since it will benefit veterans as well as others.

“This event is designed to help us do all of these wonderful things for our community,” Cox said. “And with regard to the veterans community, now we’re talking to Wounded Warriors and other groups, and we really want to engage returning veterans, their families in our art therapy services.

“That can be everything from workshops with a therapeutic component for veterans and their families,” Cox continued. “It can be waiving intake/evaluation fees for our individual and group art therapy, it can be forming new art therapy groups for veterans, and supplying our art therapy services with our licensed art therapists on a sliding scale based on ability to pay.”

The gala will feature two local bands, roots rockers The Loose Ends and The Crosstown Sounds, which plays a mix of blues, rock, funk, and soul classics as well as original material.

Negril Jamaican Eatery, All Set Restaurant and Bar, and Mark’s Kitchen will provide heavy hors d’oeuvres, and Nothing Bundt Cakes will set up a dessert bar. Proceeds from a cash bar will go to support the Legion.

Tickets are $55 for individuals and $90 per couple and are available through the Paint the Town web page (link above). Raffle tickets for prizes donated by various additional sponsors are available in advance and during the gala for $5 per pack of five tickets.

Screenshot from CREATE’s gala web page.