Montgomery, AL, January 24, 2018 — The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts’ biennial fundraiser, Art Auction 2018, is scheduled for March 1, 2018 from 6 to 10 P.M.  This year’s event is “Different by Design,” a combination of Silent Auction and Live Auction events in one exciting evening, featuring new galleries, artists, and cities, and a variety of art selected to encourage new collectors to join the fun of the Auction. Tickets for the evening are $75 per person, and include access to bid on all auction rounds as well as an array of heavy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails served in the galleries of the MMFA.

The evening will begin with a preview of a select number of works that will be featured in the Live Auction in the Museum’s Rotunda. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be provided by Jennie Weller Catering. Hundreds of pieces of art will be displayed in the Museum’s temporary exhibition halls. At 8 P.M., there will be an exciting Live Auction featuring special guests and some surprise items, available exclusively through the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. There will be three rounds of Silent Auction, and at the end of the evening, MMFA staff will pack art to send home with auction winners.

The works available in Art Auction can be seen at the Museum and online at mmfaauction.com beginning February 16, 2018. Obtain a free bid number and place advance bids on items in both the Silent and Live Auctions by registering online or visit the MMFA in person for assistance with registration.

Art Auction 2018 is made possible through the tireless efforts of the Art Auction Committee members.  This year, the Art Selection Committee selected works of art from New Orleans, Louisiana, Charleston, South Carolina, New York, New York, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, as well as other cities.

As at every Art Auction, there will be something for everyone. Art Auction 2018 bidders will find paintings, prints, glass, sculpture, and jewelry, as well as non-art items, such as art-centric travel and entertainment packages. The variety of works of art provides a broad collection of works that appeal to a range of tastes and collectors’ appetites.

Art Selection Chair Lucy Jackson and her committee have traveled the country securing a wide range of arts in different prices points and media. The Art Selection Committee includes Phillip Rawlings, Co-chair, Mary Dunn, Past Chair, Jane Bargainer, Ginny Cumbus, Camille Elebash-Hill, Dr. M. Bonner Engelhardt, Susan Geddie, Dr. Laurie Jean Weil, Gage LeQuire, Winston Wilson Reese, and Bruce S. Reid.

New this year, the Contemporary Committee selected works of art to appeal to new collectors at an affordable entry price. The Contemporary Committee members are Keven Belt, Susan Carothers, Scott Franklin, Elliot Knight, Brooke Reid, and Trey Sippial.

Volunteers working on Art Auction 2018 under Volunteer Chair Allison Ingram include Co-chair Ashley White, Past Chair Lisa Capell, Jean Belt, Bruce Freitas, Ashley Gallion, Debbie Hobbs, Lisa Newcomb, Gloria Simons, Melissa Tubbs, and Kelli Wise.

For online details about Art Auction 2018, please visit http://mmfa.org/support/art-auction/

Art Auction 2018 is sponsored by Merrill Lynch and Rheem Heart of Comfort. Proceeds from the biennial Art Auction directly benefit the Museum’s future acquisition, exhibition, and education programs for the River Region.

The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, a department of the City of Montgomery, is supported by funds from the City of Montgomery, with the support of Montgomery County, and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts Association. Programs are made possible, in part, by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

Contact: Cynthia Milledge, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts Public Relations and Marketing Director; 334.240.4369; cmilledge@mmfa.org