Alert: Art Auction Fundraiser

In recent years, Southern Exposure’s annual auction has been one of the best art fundraisers in the SF Bay Area. Today I visited SoEx to preview the latest edition of this event, and I can report that it’s not to be missed. The artists have come through again: about 135 artists have donated work. The quality is high. It’s a fun show to look at even if you’re not planning to bid. SoEx staff and volunteers have been doing a marvelous job of pulling this event together. (Full disclosure: I played a small role as a member of the auction committee.)

The event takes place on Saturday, May 6th. The evening is divided into two parts. From 6:00 to 7:30 pm, there will be a VIP reception that includes food and cocktails, an opportunity to chat with some of the artists, and a chance to place initial bids. The main event, which also includes food and drinks, begins at 7:30 and runs until closing time. There will be a silent auction from 7:30 to 10:30. A live auction will be held from 8:30 to 9:30 pm. The address is 401 Alabama St., San Francisco (near 17th St.).

For the auction alone, single tickets are $30 in advance, or $40 at the door. Single tickets for the VIP reception plus the auction are $150. These combo tickets can be purchased in multiples to receive additional benefits.

Art purchases must be paid for and taken away that night (although special arrangements are made for unwieldy artwork). Payment can be made using cash, checks, Visa, or Mastercard. Each participant should read the auction rules to avoid confusion and hurt feelings. Each piece in the silent auction will have a minimum bid and a minimum increment. Art handlers will remove sold works from the walls and wrap them for the purchasers. All sales are final.

The artwork can be previewed by visiting SoEx this week, and images for most of the pieces are already online. Full information about the event is available on the SoEx website.

The annual auction is Southern Exposure’s most important fundraiser. For almost 32 years, the organization has been one of the important non-profit art centers in the region. Come out, share the love!