Art of the martini and art itself to be celebrated at site of Robert Redford’s ‘last’ movie

Culture Works will present its second annual Artini from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, in the Grande Hall at Liberty Tower, 120 W. Second St.

>> PHOTOS: This Dayton building was part of Robert Redford’s last movie 

“We’ve got about a dozen different bartenders or mixologists,” Bill Perry, Culture Works’ development manager, told this news organization. “We are really trying to take the experience from last year and elevate it .”

COST?

General admission tickets are $30 and include six tastes.

VIP admission is $50 and includes nine tastes and a 5:30 p.m. early entrance to the event.

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Tickets can be purchased on the Planned2Give website. 

Perry said proceeds will benefit Culture Works, an organization with a mission to support Dayton-area art and culture groups.

WHO IS PARTICIPATING? 

Table 33, Salar Restaurant and Lounge, Mack's Tavern,

Watermark Restaurant, Smith's Boathouse Restaurant and

Milano's Pizza, Subs & Taps.

Smart Guy in a Tie, Simple Times Mixers and Stillwrights Distillery will be among those competing for party-goers’ votes with art-inspired martinis, organizers said.

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LOCATION 

In 2017, scenes for the Robert Redford movie “Old Man and The Gun” were filmed in Hamilton, Cincinnati and inside and around Liberty Tower.

According to media reports, Redford said the film would be his last and mark his retirement.

>> PHOTOS: Did we spot you at Culture Works’ Artini 2018? 

Liberty Tower, a former bank building that opened in 1931, is now partially an event venue. 

Perry said he fell in love with the space that will provide a great backdrop to Artini.

He’s thinking, “The Great Gatsby.”

“We are trying to create a cool vibe that gets everyone engaged,” he said. “And it all goes to a great cause.”

ART AND ENTERTAINMENT 

The Deron Bell Band will perform as it did at last year's party.

Dayton-based artist Boy Blue will create an ink artwork and Jes McMillan of The Mosaic Institute of Greater Dayton will lead party-goers in the creation of a mosaic.

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“At the end of the evening, we will have something we have created together,” he said.

Both pieces will be auctioned off, Perry added.

“It is amazing to think about the artistic and creative resources we have in town,” he said.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Artini presented by Culture Works

WHERE: The Grande Hall at Liberty Tower, 120 W. Second St., in downtown Dayton

WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19

TICKETS/INFO: Website