FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On View May 22 – June 5, Preview Party May 27, Art Auction June 5 April 8, 2010 – Sacramento, Calif. – The Crocker Art Museum will display works from the region’s top artists during the Museum’s annual Art Auction exhibition, on view May 22 through June 5. Regional artists and art collectors will then come together to raise funds for education programs during two Art Auction events: the Preview Party on May 27 and the Art Auction on June 5. After being held at Cal Expo for the last three years due to construction for the Museum’s expanded facility, the annual exhibition and auction events will return to the Crocker this year. The Art Auction Preview Party, scheduled for Thursday, May 27, from 6-9 p.m., is a casual evening reception where guests can mingle with artists and preview the works to be sold at the 2010 Art Auction. A highlight of the evening is the acclaimed Big Names, Small Art Silent Auction, where original artworks start at just $25. Admission to the Art Auction Preview Party is free, and there will be a no-host bar and buffet. RSVP to (916) 808-2692 or cam@cityofsacramento.org. The Art Auction will be held on June 5 at 5 p.m. The event includes silent and live auctions, an elegant outdoor dinner buffet and heated competition as attendees bid on their favorite artworks by 200 of the region’s top artists, including Julia Couzens, James Lovera, Brian Blood, Greg Kondos and more. Art Auction tickets are $150 and will be available for purchase starting mid-April. Tickets can be purchased by calling (916) 808-7843. “I am excited to have the Art Auction return to the Crocker this year. Visitors will see all in one place the outstanding breadth of artworks that are currently being produced in the region,” said Lial A. Jones, director of the Crocker Art Museum. "And beginning collectors and seasoned connoisseurs alike can support both the Museum and artists at the Preview Party and Art Auction.” An online preview of the auction will be available at crockerartmuseum.org/auction starting May 1. For more information, visit crockerartmuseum.org/auction. The Crocker Art Museum was established in 1885 and continues as the leading art institution for the California Capital Region and Central Valley. The Museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events and programs to augment its collections of California, European and Asian artworks. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday; 1st & 3rd Thursdays until 9 p.m. Free admission on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. is made possible through the support of Bank of America. For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

 

# # # Media Contact: Kathleen C. Richards Media: (916) 808-5157 Public: (916) 808-7000 216 O Street Sacramento, CA 95814 www.crockerartmuseum.org