Interview with Eclipse Theatre Company Planner, Vince Kennedy By Wendy B., Arts Reporter, 15 November 2020
ETC has announced its intention to hold a Charity Art Auction in May 2021, with the theme ‘SpringArt’. What is the aim and how is that going to work?
The aim is to raise $30,000 to help underwrite the new musical that is set in ETC’s sights for the 2021 season Call It Love. This is a great story written by Chilina Kennedy and is about one family and explores the choices many women have to make in terms of their roles in family in today’s social setting. It speaks to both the darker side and the loving side – with great music and a powerful storyline. It is set to have its debut commercial run in Crow’s Theatre, Toronto, in August 2021. If Covid gets in the way, there are outdoor and filmed options as well.
What about the art auction?
With the Art Auction we hope to raise about 15% of what it will cost to finish the preparations, auditions, rehearsals, and so on - and stage the show in 2021. To get that started, we have been seeking two-dimensional original art pieces form artists that we know, art houses and members and friends. Many people and companies have great art on their wall, or in the basement, or the boardroom closet! We will seek these, have asked for delivery to us by end-March 2021, so that we can curate the groups and finalize the on-line descriptions, etcetera. The theme we are pursuing is ‘SpringArt’ – we are trying to make it fresh, beyond Covid grey! Then using a commercial on-line auction house (32Auctions we hope), we will open the bidding two weeks before 8 May 2021 on these 24 pieces of art and some other treasures. There will be prizes for those bidding and oddities for auction as well. Then it transitions to a live and possibly in-person auction Saturday night 8 May (Sunday is Mother’s Day) that will finish the bidding for the main works and will feature musical elements from ETC great vocal artists – the Salon part of the night. There will be a Auctioneer and special guests.
Sounds good – how does someone keep track of what is going to happen or ask a question?
The best way is to sign up for the periodic updates we will post to this site and by e-mail. To register for that, send a short e-mail to artauction@eclipsetheatre.ca and we will add that person to the e-mail direct campaign. If anyone has a piece of art to donate – they should also contact me,Vince Kennedy, at that e-mail address artauction@eclispetheatre.ca. ‘SpringArt’ is going to be interesting, with great pieces to bid on, and all to support a great cause – the full blossoming of a new work about the Mothers we all cherish – Call It Love.