SAN FRANCISCO — The 16th annual Art for AIDS auction will take place in San Francisco on Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, commencing at 5:30 p.m. All profits will benefit the UCSF Alliance Health Project (AHP). This year the event is moving to a larger venue, City View at Metreon, located at 135 Fourth St., San Francisco. More than 700 art lovers, collectors and party-goers are expected to attend.
Unifying emerging and established artists, art galleries and collectors, Art for AIDS is regarded by many art world insiders as San Francisco’s premier charity art auction. Vibrant art, delicious foods, fine wines, spirits and microbrews will be on hand for the enjoyment of Northern California’s art community, with the goal being to support Bay Area residents living with HIV/AIDS.
Art for AIDS originated 16 years ago when several local artists got together in a Noe Valley District kitchen and decided to sell their own art to help friends with HIV/AIDS. Over the years, Art for AIDS has grown in both attendance and the quality and variety of the donated art offered to the highest bidders — bringing works by renowned artists such as Annie Leibowitz, Catherine Mackey, Jock Sturges, Pamela Merory Dernham, Paul Madonna, Rex Ray and Ross Bleckner, among others, including works donated by prominent Bay Area galleries and private collectors.
A distinguished panel forms this year’s Art for AIDS jury, composed of Bay Area art critics, gallery owners, artists and collectors charged with reviewing and accepting as many as 150 works to be offered this September. The jury will meet through the summer nominating and ultimately selecting the fundraiser’s auction lots, which are expected to feature works by Lucky Rapp, Jock Sturges, Robin Denevan, Sue Averell, Rex Ray, Martine Jardel, Michal Venera, Kristine Mays and others.
This year, gallery-quality works of art, including paintings, photography, mixed media, sculpture and video art, will be presented in both silent and live auction lots. The certificate auction features coveted offerings such as luxury getaways, dining at celebrated restaurants, Napa winery tours and spa treatments.
Art for AIDS benefits UCSF’s Alliance Health Project (formerly known as the AIDS Health Project), serving the community for more than 27 years with free HIV testing, education, counseling, and mental health services. In that time, AHP has counseled more than 240,000 people and trained more than 81,000 health professionals, educators and students. Funds raised at Art for AIDS support this important work.
For additional information, log on to www.ucsf-ahp.org for more information about the Alliance Health Project.
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