Visit Art D’Vine for food & wine
Published 9:39 pm Wednesday, September 30, 2009
If you love Italian wine and food — or maybe just helping a community organization — you’ll want to be at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts Friday.
The center’s third annual Art D’Vine fundraiser will be held there at 7 p.m. The event includes a silent and live auction, Italian wine and food pairing samples, Italian music and more. The event is the signature event for the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts Foundation, the fundraising arm of the center.
“This is basically all about raising money for the cultural arts center,” Susan Babiy, development coordinator for the center, said. “It helps us bring to the community the variety of arts classes and performances and gallery exhibits that we offer.”
Items available in the silent auction include gift certificates, food, parties (including an oyster roast for 18) and, of course, art of all kinds. Paintings, pottery, glass art and other pieces — all original works — from local and international artists will be available for bids, including art brought by the delegation from Oderzo, Italy, during a Sister Cities event this summer.
The money raised from the event goes into the general operating fund for the center, which supports everything from classes and performances to gallery exhibits and administration.
Pearl Harrell, president of the Foundation board, said they hope to raise about $40,000 from the event. The center tries to keep prices for classes and performances reasonably low so they are more accessible, Harrell said, and tries to make up the difference with fundraisers and grants.
“Although people pay for classes, we try to make them reasonable in their costs,” Harrell said. “We still have to find funds to offset the expenses that we incur.”
Babiy hopes as many people as possible will be able to attend the event.
“It’s a fun event,” she said. “It’s just a lot of fun.”
Tickets for the event still are available, and can be purchased at the door for $55. Admission includes the wine and the food, and admission to the auctions. All attendees must be 21 years old or older. Other beverages such as water and soft drinks also will be available.