NSB's Atlantic Center for the Arts: Here are 5 events to explore your artistic side

The artistic identity of New Smyrna Beach is visible through the city’s murals, statues and museums.

The Atlantic Center for the Arts (or ACA) is a local organization that has for decades supported, promoted and educated local artists to contribute to building that identity.

The ACA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1977 as a “multidisciplinary artist residency facility,” according to its website.

Exhibits, resident workshops, and even community programs for local artists are a part of how the ACA contributes to the city's art scene.

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And in the next few months, the ACA will offer locals and visitors several opportunities to experience its artistic vibe. Here are just a few:

Move through grief with art

Art it Through is an upcoming workshop that promises to help “those moving through grief after a loss.”

Host Monica Vidal, an artist and psychologist, and participants will use various types of collage, painting, sculpture, writing, movement and music during the activity.

“Participants will engage in activities that allow for support and creative expression while navigating the stages of grief,” the workshop’s webpage says.

No artistic experience is necessary to participate, and all supplies will be provided.

Sessions take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays from Oct. 3 to Nov. 7 at the Our Lady Star of the Sea church, 4000 S. Atlantic Ave. in New Smyrna Beach.

While the workshop is free, those who want to participate must call 386-427-4530 to register.

Creative Medicine: Poetry and Prose with Rhythm

Another interactive experience is slated for Oct. 5 at the ACA’s Harris House, located at 214 Riverside Drive.

Local poet Sonja Jean Craig will host community members who want to join “to share thoughts and writings that focus on wellness.”

“This is a place to find well-being through the creative process,” the event’s webpage says. “There will be an impromptu writing session where you will explore details and feelings. We will share and find our inner rhythm. You are welcome to come to share and participate in person or in spirit.”

The event takes place from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5. Registration is not required.

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Soundwalk at the Canaveral National Seashore

This outdoor gathering will focus on listening to the sounds of “our urban and natural world.”

Next month’s Soundwalk will be an excursion intended for residents of all ages “to relieve stress, gain focus and develop a deeper understanding of how we fit into the ecosystem of our environment.”

Those who want to participate must register online at atlanticcenterforthearts.org.

Participants will meet on Oct. 14 at the Canaveral National Seashore visitor’s center before heading out into the park from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

ACA Spotlight

This workshop is dedicated to those who want to not only learn about the work of ACA artists but also improve their own skills.

Participants will have a chance to study works and learn techniques from contemporary art professionals, led by ACA Community Artist, Bethany Bennett.

The ACA asks that participants bring their own supplies, which include a “canvas or Bristol board, brushes and paint colors of your choice.” The ACA will provide supplies for those who do not have them for a donation.

The workshop takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 21 at the ACA’s Harris House.

Speaking with the Land – an environmental symposium

Later this year, the ACA will be joined by members of the Stetson University Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience for a public event featuring artists, scientists, policy makers and activists “carrying forward the discussion about the watershed and lands surrounding the ACA main campus.”

Participants will also have the chance to join a roundtable discussion about “current government policies, the importance of community-led activism, and hands-on art activities for the whole family,” according to the event’s webpage.

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The event, which is free and open to the public, takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 16 in the Pabst Visitor Center and Gallery at ACA’s main campus on 1414 Art Center Ave.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Atlantic Center for the Arts hosts fall workshops in New Smyrna Beach