Arts Center gala - May 16

Post date: Apr 29, 2015 6:19:50 PM

AAC's spring gala brings together local artists and restaurants

Rated ART event set to raise funds for Arlington Arts Center

Gala season is here, and in honor of their 40th anniversary, Arlington Arts Center (AAC) is highlighting creative (and edible) combinations. On Saturday, May 16, AAC will host its annual fundraising gala, newly themed Rated ART.

AAC's Rated ART will include an evening of food, drink and artistic inspiration, designed to showcase the creativity of local chefs and mixologists, who have been invited to invent a dish and drink inspired by a piece of artwork from one of AAC's 10 resident artists. Gala-goers then will sample and savor these delectable creations.

Following a VIP reception, all guests will be invited to sample the art-inspired creations from AAC's restaurant partners including Mussel Bar, Bayou Bakery, Tazza Kitchen, Lyon Hall, Petworth Citizen, Crane & Turtle, Pinstripes and Hank's Oyster Bar, located throughout the historic Maury Schoolhouse.

Based on movie ratings, guests will rate the food and art pairings according to riskiness - R, X, or XXX - along with celebrity judges Michael McCarthy, Editor in Chief of DC Magazine and Pati Jinich, host of Pati's Mexican Table. Throughout the event you'll find AAC's resident artists discussing the art-to-food pairings, and guests are invited to the resident artists' studios for the dessert and coffee hour at the end of the night.

Interactive activities developed by exhibiting artists will be another feature of the event. Artists Heloisa Escudero, Scott Pennington and Paul Shortt each have a special installation, performance or activity for guests to experience while taking a break from sampling.

Executive Director Stefanie Fedor said, "AAC is excited to partner with some of the best chefs and mixologists in the area for this one-of-a-kind event. Rated ART will support our education and exhibitions programs while highlighting the talents of our artists and restaurants. We know it will be the most creative and thought provoking gala event this season!"

This event is made possible through the support of AAC's Rated ART Host Committee and event sponsors including BB&T, NoVa Cat Clinic, Team Cathell, Corporate Apartment Specialists, the Ballston BID, the Pinkline Project, AFR, Matz Blancato and Associates, Strong Tonic and DC Magazine.

Tickets are still available for purchase at www.arlingtonartscenter.org/ratedart

Rated ART Restaurant Partners:

Rated ART is sponsored by:

About Arlington Arts Center

Arlington Arts Center (AAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit contemporary visual arts center dedicated to presenting and supporting new work by regional artists in the mid-Atlantic States. Through exhibitions, educational programs, and subsidized studio spaces, AAC serves as a bridge between artists and the public. The goal is to increase awareness and appreciation of, and involvement in, the visual arts in Arlington County, VA and the region. Established in 1974 as a grassroots arts organization, and dedicated to providing studio and exhibition space for local and regional artists, AAC has been housed since 1976 in the historic Maury School.

Our programs are made possible through the generous support of the Virginia Commission for the Arts/NEA, Arlington County through the Arlington Cultural Affairs division of Arlington Economic Development and the Arlington Commission for the Arts, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, The Washington Forrest Foundation, BB&T, The Arlington Community Foundation, Founders of the Fund Your Artist Vision, and AAC members.

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