The Georgia Museum of Art staff, board and volunteers have been diligently working away behind the scenes to get ready for Elegant Salute, our biennial event and biggest fundraiser, which will take place on February 4. Every other year since 1980 (with a few exceptions due to renovations or the rise of COVID-19), the Georgia Museum of Art has hosted this gala distinguished by its imaginative themes and by its success in raising support for the museum’s programing, endowments and capital projects. The 17th Elegant Salute promises to continue the tradition and we are elated that fundraising for the event is surpassing expectations.
The upcoming event takes as its theme a dual celebration: the past 75 years of the museum’s history as it has provided free inspiration for audiences across the state and beyond and the achievements of our director, William Underwood “Bill” Eiland, who will retire in March 2023.
Bill has led the museum for over three decades as an advocate of visual art accessibility, scholarship, preservation and education. He has written, edited and contributed to more than 60 publications; served on the boards of national and international professional organizations; and somehow found the time to organize exhibitions. He is known and appreciated far and wide for his ambitious vision, his boundless energy and his seemingly endless store of jokes and funny stories.
It is impossible to imagine the Georgia Museum of Art without Bill Eiland. We are profoundly grateful for his devotion, leadership and vision and are confident that the foundation he has laid will serve the museum in the decades to come, just as Alfred Holbrook’s did in our earliest days. We can think of no better way to celebrate the museum’s 75th anniversary than to toast the decades of service Bill has steadfastly dedicated to the Georgia Museum of Art.
Mary Lillie Watson is serving as this year’s chair, alongside honorary chairs of Elegant Salutes past. The event has been reimagined, but it will still have plenty of glitz and glam. A new cocktail-style format will enable the museum to highlight a select number of exquisite silent auction items and works of art, among other benefits. “Don’t worry, we are still planning a sophisticated, black-tie affair,” Watson said. “But we are forgoing a seated dinner to enable you to mingle with each other as you explore beautiful Gatsby-inspired décor, delectable hors d’oeuvre stations from Epting Events, live jazz and a carefully curated silent auction in addition to the signature end-of-evening dance party.”
With the milestone of this particular celebration, there has been significant interest and the only way to attend the formal event is to become an event sponsor. Sponsorships include admission to the event and a tax-deductible charitable donation, alongside other benefits and recognition by the museum. “Sponsorships will ensure that you can join us for this very special evening to celebrate the impact of the Georgia Museum of Art over the last 75 years and over 30 years of our director’s dedicated service,” Watson said. “Your support will enable us to continue to work toward reaching our initial goal of $1 million for the Fund for the Future Endowment.”
If you’re unable to be a sponsor, don’t worry. You can still be a part of the celebration. Tickets for the “Dripping in Diamonds” dance party, which follows Elegant Salute proper, are available for individual purchase. This portion of the evening will feature music by the very suave DJ Mahogany, libations and a dessert reception. Why go out on Valentine’s Day, when restaurants are crowded and menus often uninspired? Bring your sweetie to this party instead and dance the night away in style.
Our mission is only possible with your contributions and support and we are excited to bring you an elegant event that will pay tribute to 75 years of history and dedication to art at the University of Georgia. We hope that you will join us for this momentous celebration.
Want to attend? Here’s how you can join the party:
Tickets for the dance party are available at bit.ly/es-2023 or by emailing jointhemuseum@uga.edu and are $55 per person for Friend + Annual Fund Members and $75 per person for all other guests. 1920s-inspired cocktail attire is encouraged for both events.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor please visit bit.ly/es-2023, email jointhemuseum@uga.edu or contact Michele Turner at 706.542.0830 or the museum’s director of development, Heather Malcom, at hmalcom@uga.edu.
For more information, visit: https://georgiamuseum.org/join-and-give/give/sponsorships/elegant-salute/
Authored by:
Museum Staff
