Do you believe that engaging teens in the arts empowers them to believe in themselves and successfully achieve their goals?

Are you convinced that teaching life and career skills prepares them for future success?

Do you love delicious local food, beer and cocktails?

If so, you might want to consider attending the ArtWorks for Milwaukee fourth annual Night by the River benefit, which takes place Friday, Nov. 2 at the Milwaukee County Historical Society, 910 N. Old World Third St., beginning at 6 p.m.

Funds raised from the evening will be used to expand the reach of ArtWorks' 2013 internship programs, which focus on developing valuable career and life skills through art.

Night by the River guests will enjoy delectable hors d'oeuvres, an array of cheeses from the West Allis Cheese Market, Sassy Cow and Clock Shadow Creamery, and scrumptious desserts from some of Milwaukee's best local restaurants, including Blue's Egg, Centro Café, Maxie's Southern Comfort and Molly Cool's Seafood Tavern.

Throughout the evening, guests can mix and mingle, enjoy live music from Blue Sky Hour and participate as emcee Wes McKane of KISS FM introduces a wide variety of live and silent auction and raffle items, including original artwork from Artworks Intern Artists.

Last year's event brought in over 300 guests and raised more than $16,000, which covered expenses for a complete ArtWorks job training program that allowed Artworks to offer 24 local teens the opportunity to interview and be hired in ArtWorks' paid arts-based internship.

This year, guests will also have the opportunity to meet current interns and see the projects they created as part of their fall programming. Two former interns, Tymothy Harper, a senior in industrial design at MIAD, and Roshunda Hewings, a freshman at UWM, will speak briefly about their experiences at ArtWorks.

"We are proud that 90 percent of our interns complete the program," says Artworks Executive Director Terry Murphy. "The majority complete high school and many go on to college or to get jobs. We strive to create a meaningful, fun and long-lasting experience for Milwaukee teens."

And the program appears to be working.

"ArtWorks really opened my eyes to a different world than the one I was so used to being in," says one recent intern of the program. "A lot has changed, or maybe I'm the one who changed, along with my point of view or outlook on life, in a positive way."

Tickets are $70 at the door. Guests can also earn free tickets by joining the monthly ArtWorks for Milwaukee's Giving Club.

For more information on the event, or to purchase tickets online, please visit NightbytheRiver.com.