FUNDRAISING EVENTS

Art Out Of The Closet

This is a silent and live auction of recycled art held every year on the Sunday before the Super Bowl. Between Thanksgiving and December 31, donations of professional quality art in good condition—paintings, sculptures, prints, photography, jewelry, pottery, textiles, lithographs and glass—are collected at two drop off locations. Owners complete a form describing the items for auction and suggesting a fair market value. Arts Coalition Board members pickup the art and secure donations until the time of the event. There is a tax benefit by donating before the end of the year. Over 300 pieces of art have been donated in the past two years since the auction began. 

In addition to the recycled art auction, there is an added attraction. In 2010, the highlight of the event was the auctioning of the Cultural Treasures Bench which paid tribute to the work of outstanding artists in the Spring Green area. Recognition was given to Inez Learn, theater artist and teacher; to Robert and Derry Graves, major contributors and facilitaors to the local arts community; and Peg Miller, acclaimed artist who lived in Spring Green. The bench was painted by Board members in the Peg Miller style. It stands permanently in Post Park on Jefferson Street as a symbol of gratitude and respect for those who have enriched our lives through the arts.

In 2011, 65 pieces of original art, six by six inches in size, were created for the Arts Coalition by area artists, using a variety of media. A Creative Canvas could be owned by purchasing a gift certificate for $25 at local businesses and brought to the auction where numbers on the certificates were matched with the canvas. The excitement was in not knowing which canvas was going to be yours.

A similar program is planned for this year's event on January 29, 2012. Food prepared and donated by local restaurants will be featured along with beverages from local wine and beer makers, and entertainment will be available throughout the event. It also serves as the Arts Coalition's annual meeting.

Celebrity Squares

A game show, based on the television show Hollywood Squares, has been the primary fundraiser for the Arts Coalition for six years. Held at the Gard Theater, local celebrities try to stump the game show participants chosen from the audience. Prizes are awarded to the winners and to audience members whose names are drawn throughout the evening, Tickets are sold, and the event sells out nearly every year.