PAFA Announces Preview Party for 113th Annual Student Exhibition

Thursday, May 8, 2014, 4:00-8:30pm

PHILADELPHIA (March 12, 2014) — The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) will kick off the 113th Annual Student Exhibition (ASE) with a Preview Party, hosted by PAFA’s Women’s Board, on Thursday, May 8, 2014, 4:00-8:30pm at PAFA, 128 North Broad Street in Philadelphia.

The gala evening is the major annual fundraiser of PAFA’s Women’s Board, and it provides the first chance to view and purchase over 1,000 paintings, sculptures, works on paper and installations created by PAFA’s BFA students, third- and fourth-year Certificate program students, and MFA candidates, all on the verge of their professional careers.

Preview Party guests have the opportunity to discuss the works with the artists, present throughout the evening. Students retain the majority of the purchase price of works sold, and all proceeds from the Preview Party support PAFA student scholarships. Accessible prices, typically in the range of just under $100 to $5,000, have created an enthusiastic following throughout the greater Philadelphia region. The sale continues until the exhibition closes on June 1; however, the majority of ASE artworks sales occur during the Preview Party.

Honorary Chairs for the 2014 Preview Party are Pia and Richard Halloran, and the Co-Chairs are Dorothy Mather Ix and Carmen Navarro Pelaez. “Everyone—student and attendee alike—looks forward to the student show,” said Ms. Ix. “It’s a wonderful chance to see what talented artists create at the start of their careers.” Ms. Pelaez added, “With a background of prominent American artists who studied at PAFA—from Rembrandt Peale, Mary Cassatt, and Maxfield Parrish to contemporary artists such as Bo Bartlett, Vincent Desiderio and Sarah McEneaney— it’s a joy to see what’s coming next.”

Ticket prices are in multiple tiers, allowing guests different benefits and entry times: Scholar level attendees at $3,000 per person, Philanthropist level at $1,000, and Connoisseur level at $500 all enter at 4pm and have the first full hour to themselves to enjoy the exhibition and make their selections. Collector levels at $300 pp enter at 5pm, Patrons at $250 enter at 6pm, and Friends at $150 enter at 7pm. The party, sale and festivities continue until 8:30pm.

The 113th Annual Student Exhibition opens to the public the following day, on Friday, May 9, and continues until Sunday, June 1, 2014.

For tickets and information, visit pafa.org/asepreview or call 215-972-2077.

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About PAFA
Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is America's first School of Fine Arts and Museum. A recipient of the 2005 National Medal of Arts presented by the President of the United States, PAFA is a recognized leader in Fine Arts education. Nearly every major American artist has taught, studied, or exhibited at PAFA. The institution's world-class collection of American art continues to grow and provides what only a few other art institutions in the world offer: the rare combination of an outstanding Museum and an extraordinary faculty known for its commitment to students and for the stature and quality of its artistic work.

About PAFA’s Women’s Board
Founded in 1950 and named the Women’s Committee until 2001, the Women’s Board is aligned with the values of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and works to support PAFA in accordance with its mission statement. It assists the Board of Trustees and the President of PAFA in the implementation of programs, supports the museum and the school through fundraising and volunteerism, and promotes awareness and appreciation of American art and American artists. The Women’s Board produces one of PAFA’s most important fundraising events of the year, the Annual Student Exhibition Preview Party. Proceeds support student scholarships, as well as museum and school programs, the commencement luncheon, and other special projects throughout the year. In the 60-year history of the Women’s Board, its members and events have contributed more than 10 million dollars in net proceeds to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA).