Letter from the Founder
Deck The Chairs (DTC) was founded in 2013 to serve the Beaches community by providing a free, six-week holiday event promoting art in public space and creating opportunity for children’s arts education and outreach. Now in our ninth-season, we gratefully reflect back on the first decorated lifeguard chair exhibit featuring sixteen chairs and hosting 20,000 visitors. Every year since the exhibits popularity grows and today we manage a nationally recognized event with more than 90,000 in attendance.
Visitors from all over the world walk through the beautiful seaside park space and enjoy 40 decorated chairs, nightly light shows, weekend stage programming as well as several major art installations including Beaches Go Green Octopus Garden.
DTC engages more than 600 volunteers during a 42-day run of show. Volunteers design/build, light and decorate. But they also help with park maintenance, concessions, stage programming and DTC ambassadorships.
Finally, DTC also gifts back directly to the arts and arts education with proceeds from the event. Love and generosity shines bright during the holiday season and we especially get to see that on display through DTC. We are a stronger community because of so many wonderful neighbors and business gifting back with time, talent and treasure.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping us keep Magic In The Chair!
Sincerely,
Kurtis W. Loftus, Founder
Deck The Chairs
