The Akron Art Museum will host its twenty-sixth Annual Auction on Saturday, June 11, 2022. This year’s wine auction gala, “The Art of the Party,” will toast to the Museum’s centennial with a spirited, creative celebration with the Lehner Family Foundation serving as presenting sponsor. Participants can expect an exceptional evening with fine wine, a spectacular four-course dinner, and one-of-a-kind live and silent auction items. The auction supports the Museum’s public programming which connects children and adults to art and inspires creativity through exhibitions and programming.
This year’s event chair, Lyn Bober said, “This event will be an immersive retrospective of the Museum’s history while highlighting our path forward. Every detail of the event embodies our centennial spirit, from the colorful décor and the interactive entertainment and dancing to our creative gourmet menu. This will be a fabulous evening of art and wine.”
The four-course dining experience is paired with fine wines by Moët Hennessy featuring Chandon sparkling. Chandon was sparked into life in 1973 by the visionary spirit of Robert-Jean de Vogüé and California pioneer John Wright. As one of the first French-owned sparkling wine ventures in the U.S., Chandon carefully selected its vineyards and is now considered to be among the best for producing quality sparkling wines in California. Rick Buchanan, Moët Hennessy’s senior brand education manager will be at the Museum to provide introductions for the selected wines.
“With this celebration being held in the Museum’s spectacular Beatrice Knapp McDowell Grand Lobby, it will be a once in a century experience,” stated John S. Knight Director and CEO, Jon Fiume. “We are honored to recognize the legacy of the leaders and philanthropists who have helped shape the Museum over the past 100 years by serving as presidents of the board of trustees.”
In addition to attending, there are several ways to support the Museum’s wine auction gala. Pre-sale of the limited edition Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2012 by Yayoi Kusama ($199.99) and Newton, The Puzzle 2017 ($149.99) are available on the Museum’s website along with raffle tickets for the chance to win a collection of 100 bottles of fine wine, each bottle valued at over $100. This collection of carefully cellared, rare bottles includes a 1995 Opus One Cabernet Sauvignon, a 2002 Pahlmeyer Cabernet Sauvignon, and a 1990 Cos D’Estournal Saint Estephe. Only 350 raffle tickets, at $100 each, are available, also on our website.
A number of exceptional items will be auctioned off such as Dinner and a show in The District, Weller Bourbon for Connoisseur, 2018 The Grand Cru of Chablis, as well as several other rare wines and unique items. For additional information regarding the Auction, how to purchase tickets, or to become a sponsor for the event, please visit the Museum’s website.
Auction sponsors to date include: The Lehner Family Foundation, The J.M. Smucker Company, Chandon, First Energy Foundation, Jeff and Lisa Bruno, Cohen & Co., Akron Pediatric Surgical Associates, Bober Markey Fedorovich, PNC, Acme Fresh Market, Duane and Earline Roe, Myrna Berzon, Clear Gold Audio and Lighting, Brennan, Manna & Diamond LLC, KeyBank Foundation, Dianne and Herb Newman, Broadleaf Partners LLC, Cleveland Clinic-Akron General, Judge Kathryn Michael, Fifth Third Bank, Akron Community Foundation, S.A. Comunale Company Inc., Bruce and Ann Rowland, Jeffrey and Sandra Kornick, Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services Inc., Laura and Drew Engles, University of Akron, and Cardinal Parking.
For more information, to get wine auction gala tickets and raffle tickets, to order pre-sale wine, or to provide a sponsorship or auction item, please visit akronartmuseum.org/auction or contact Katie Casenhiser at kcasenhiser@akronartmuseum.org, 330-376-9186, ext. 227.