If everything had gone as planned, executive director and chief curator Eva Buttacavoli would be busy with preparations for the 26th Annual Art Auction, which had been scheduled for April 26. Typically, the annual art auction is one of the biggest fundraisers for the arts center, attracting 700 people and raising more than $100,000. Each year, more than 100 local and regional artists donate one work to be auctioned, with 100 percent of sales from that piece benefiting The Contemporary Dayton.
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However, with the statewide stay-at-home order now extended through the end of April, The Contemporary Dayton had to find a new way to raise money through these local and regional works of art. Now, The Contemporary Dayton is working to support the center and its artists with the "104 Days of Art" program. Each day, The Contemporary Dayton will will post a work of art on its Instagram page, with information about the featured piece. The artists will receive commission from the sale of their piece via Instagram.
When the gallery is permitted to reopen, artists will be asked to donate another piece of artwork to the auction, which will be rescheduled for a later date.
While artists and art lovers await the reopening of the center, The Contemporary Dayton is hosting Artist Zoom Town Halls and Thursday Art Lunch, virtually for artists and art lovers, featuring many guest speakers. The Artist Zoom Town Halls will take place every Tuesday at 6 p.m. and every Friday at noon in April. The Art Lunch is scheduled for noon to 1 p.m. every Thursday in April.
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Remix, an exhibit that features "idiosyncratic abstractions of everyday life" through drawings, prints and sculptures, will be launching online as a virtual "viewing room" beginning Friday, May 8, to be followed by an in-person exhibit, to be viewed when visitors are again allowed in the art center. The exhibit will feature work from Ryan McCullough of Tampa, Florida, Whitney Sage of Blissfield, Michigan and Jason Lee of Morgantown, West Virginia.
To stay up to date on all virtual offerings at The Contemporary Dayton, pay a visit to the center's website, Facebook page and Instagram.
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