BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) holds its Spring Gala & Benefit Auction at Alyson's Orchard in Walpole, N.H., on Saturday, April 5, at 6 p.m.
The event features appetizers and buffet dinner by Hardy Foard Catering; a wide selection of wine and beer chosen by wine expert David Howell; and silent and live auctions of artwork, jewelry, fine wine, and vacation getaways.
Among those donating items to be auctioned are South Africa's Zulu Nyala Game Lodge; Napa Valley's Harlan, Far Niente, and Oakville wineries; painter Wolf Kahn; and local artists and craftspeople such as Darren Honey, Caryn King, Petria Mitchell, Brian Shriver, and Bob Taylor.
Those wishing to cut loose at the end of the evening can dance to live music performed by The Band of Love, featuring Samirah Evans.
All proceeds support BMAC's youth and education programs, which serve thousands of students and teachers throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Tickets are $75 and are sold at www.brattleboromuseum.org and via 802-257-0124, ext. 101.
In addition to presenting contemporary art exhibits and a wide array of cultural events, BMAC offers vital programs for students and teachers throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
Hundreds of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers benefit from BMAC's Head Start Arts Partnership, which sends professional artists into 14 area Head Start classrooms to engage some of the neediest children in our community in hands-on art activities.
For students in grades K-8, BMAC offers guided tours of the museum's exhibits throughout the school year. Based on a method known as Visual Thinking Strategies, these tours bolster students' critical thinking and oral-literacy skills. BMAC hosts a summer professional development workshop for educators wishing to learn more about Visual Thinking Strategies.
For middle- and high-school students, BMAC is Vermont's statewide affiliate for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a prestigious national program recognizing teenagers with exceptional artistic and literary talent.
“These programs do not receive a lot of publicity,” said BMAC Director Danny Lichtenfeld, “but they make a huge difference in the lives of children throughout our region.”