Proceeds from Silent Auction Will Support Arts Education Programs

    Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein today invited New Yorkers to support arts education by attending the First Annual Madison Avenue Art Gallery Walk on Saturday, May 10, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sixty-three leading art galleries on Madison Avenue between 57th and 86th streets are participating in the event. Public school art teachers will conduct free, guided tours in select galleries and gallery owners will donate a portion of proceeds to benefit arts education through The Fund for Public Schools. As part of the event, many galleries also donated artwork for a silent auction to be held on Saturday that will raise additional funds to support arts education. The Gallery Walk is presented by the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) and sponsored by HSBC and Bonhams.

    “Arts instruction is a fundamental element of our students’ education,” said Chancellor Klein. “I would like to thank the Madison Avenue BID, HSBC, Bonhams, and all the participating galleries for their commitment to helping our students get the arts education they deserve. I encourage New Yorkers to come out on Saturday to visit some of the city’s premier galleries and to participate in the silent auction to support arts programs in our schools.”

    “The Madison Avenue Gallery Walk will provide New Yorkers a day of experiencing art, learning from an outstanding group of teachers, and supporting arts education in New York City’s public schools,” said Matthew Bauer, President of the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District. “The galleries of Madison Avenue are an important part of New York City cultural milieu, and they are proud to do their part to help New York City’s most important asset: its children.”

    Tours designed to appeal to audiences of all ages will showcase the world-class art collections presented in galleries lining Madison Avenue. As part of the day’s festivities, a special exhibition entitled, “Tomorrow’s Artists” will display student artwork in the lobby of the HSBC Bank at 1002 Madison Avenue and in ten galleries. Restaurants Aureole and Chat Noir will serve art-inspired menus specially created for the day. A map available on the Madison Avenue BID website will direct visitors to participating venues.

    A silent auction presented in conjunction with the Gallery Walk will be held at Bonhams from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Proceeds from the sale of fine art donated by the galleries of Madison Avenue will benefit arts education initiatives supported by The Fund for Public Schools.

    The Gallery Walk is free and open to the public. Reservations are required for guided tours and space is limited; to RSVP or for more information, contact the Madison Avenue BID at (212) 201-1492 or visit their website at www.madisonavenuebid.org.

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Contact: David Cantor / Debra Wexler (212) 374-5141