The Coolest Art Auction and Fundraiser Drops on March 7

Full disclosure: for a brief year I was a board member at Vancouver’s iconic Western Front Gallery. Fuller disclosure: I sucked as a board member. But well before I got involved, I was a never-miss-a-year attendee to their annual Gala Fundraiser and Auction. For starters, the crowd is the most amazing, eclectic mix of artists, musicians, patrons and oddballs and that’s largely due to the fact that the place attracts a rabid loyalty from it’s fans. And the Front in turn repays that loyalty by keeping it majorly real—$200—on the price of the event. The coat check at the VAG Gala is practically $200.

And then there’s the auction: an diverse mix of the very high (this year there’s a stunner of a Brian Jungen piece, shown below) and the up-and-comers doing super cool stuff that I’d never hear about if I didn’t come to the event. And to be clear, you can still bid on the auction and help support the front even if you don’t attend (click here for details) but you’re really missing the fun of the frenzy of bidding in the confines of the Front’s second floor, wine flowing, voices raising, a small bit of mayhem ensuing.

Seriously though, we’ve recently touched on how tricky it’s getting for arts organizations in this city. And here we have one of the most revered institutions in the country throwing a great party, with a cocktail reception, a long table dinner, musical performances and the aforementioned auction for a steal of a deal. Seriously, do this. The date is March 7 and tickets are here.