BRATTLEBORO — River Gallery School's benefit auction will be held in-house again this year on Saturday, Nov. 9. The art school at 32 Main St. is celebrating 44 years of supporting art-making for all and, with the new expanded Main Street Studio and Gallery 34, they say they are excited to invite the town into their studios once again for a fun-filled evening.
The studios will be transformed from the usual daily function of art classes for kids, teens, and adults (easels, paint, and artwork everywhere) to an event venue offering crafts, gift certificates, and donations from local vendors up for bid. Local and global getaways ranging from an African photo-safari to a stay in a lovely Boston Brownstone will await bids.
Hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar will be available as patrons bid on their favorite findings. There will also be surprise pop-up door prizes.
A raffle drawing will be part of the evening's festivities. Tickets are being sold for a chance to win the choice of a beautiful wool rug from Candle in the Night, a semester to an RGS art class, or a Lydia Thomson original oil painting (now on view at Amy's Bakery).
Preview the growing list of generous donations from artisans and merchants at rivergalleryschool.org. Raffle and event tickets are available online or by calling the school at 802-257-1577.
River Gallery School's popular “Clothesline Postcard Show Sale” will be hung for the month of November as well.
The event begins promptly at 5 p.m.; buy a ticket ahead online to skip the line. The various areas of bid-on objects will be closed consecutively beginning at 7 p.m., and the three raffle winners will be picked at 7:30 p.m. to wrap up the event.
All the proceeds benefit the inclusive programs of the school, including extensive scholarships, outreach programming, and overall operating expenses.