Haunted HeARTs is a spooktacular party curated by local artists

Haunted HeARTs, an epic art-infused Halloween party fundraiser, is gearing up to be a Halloween night like no other.

Set in the enchanting and eerie rotunda of the historic Dayton Arcade, Haunted HeARTs will be a celebration of local art, music and creativity, showcasing the works of emerging artists through otherworldly installations and live performances. There will be dancing, food, costume contests, tarot readings and much more to get the spines tingling for the zenith of spooky season.

The spooky soirée is on Oct. 31. People who go must be 21 or older to attend.

With the discontinuation of Masquerage earlier this year, a popular annual fundraiser in Dayton formerly put on by Equitas Health, there was a void in the Halloween event community. So when the rotunda became available, event organizers Adair Tudor, of OKO Studio, and Rae Ankeney decided to fill that void.

“Part of the appeal,” Tudor said, “was to bring artists into a space that they maybe wouldn’t typically have access to, and to keep it affordable for people who otherwise wouldn’t typically have access to private events.”

Ticket levels include the $30 discounted designated driver ticket (which doesn’t include a drink), $50 general admission and the $130 VIP Dinner and Wine pairing experience with a meal crafted by Chef Nat Castello (Little Fish) and sommelier Lauren Gay (Joui Wine). VIP starts at 6:30 p.m. and includes the general admission price.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Heartsiq — a queer-centric experience company, with a focus on arts and entertainment — and Culture Works: the Dayton region’s local arts agency and United Arts Fund.

In the architecturally elegant Dayton Arcade, Haunted HeARTs has something for every creature of the night, much of it provided by DIY artists.

DJ BreezyEZ and DJ Kim L will set the spooky party vibe for all the ghosts, ghouls and goblins as they dance away the night. There will also be special burlesque performances by Aurora Maur and Lily Datura.

Secret 78 Tarot will be giving free tarot readings for all your burning questions, while Katie Hutchins and Taylor Nicewaner will be offering tattoos.

Several experimental art installations will adorn the rotunda that evening.

Sculptor Isaac Williams, aka DJ Isicle, will have a sci-fi/dark space interactive sound installation near the entryway. Tobi Ewing is using piping and textiles for draping near the center of the rotunda. Sydney Joslin-Knapp is going “absolutely bananas” with paper mache and textiles for a dark harvest scene. SOS Light Show will be playing with CRT TVs, and expressionist painter Blair Ellis will be creating a ghostly scene for the lounge area.

There will also be Filipino-American food by Chef Desmond Keane available for purchase.

Costumes are strongly encouraged, as there is a costume contest with a cash prize.

Adair Tudor, a multimedia artist, has 20 years of experience taking spaces and turning them into performance venues and galleries. For the past two years, OKO Studio, a DIY space run by Tudor, has published zines and hosted local arts events — the upcoming Halloween party being one of them.

Haunted HeARTs will present up and coming artists to the masses, while the masses experience wicked art on an unforgettable night in Dayton’s iconic venue.

Contact this contributing writer at branberry100@gmail.com.