Art museum to celebrate 60th anniversary with fundraiser

Published 9:00 am Tuesday, March 21, 2023

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The LaGrange Art Museum (LAM) will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a fundraiser event titled “Denim & Diamonds.”

The fundraiser will be held on Friday, April 14 at Del’Avant Event Center in LaGrange.

LAM Executive Director Laura Jennings said they got the idea for the event after last year’s disco fundraiser.

“Last year, we had a disco, and it was wildly popular, so we decided that we would do something similar this year,” Jennings said.

Jennings said the museum has been trying to attract a more diverse and younger audience, so the disco fit the bill. Similarly, the Denim & Diamonds event is expected to combine the jeans crowd with a more formal group.

“People can wear a combination of casual and formal wear, kind of worn together with some bling,” Jennings said.

Diamonds are also the traditional 60th-anniversary gift, so the theme is appropriate, Jennings said.

Jennings said they will have food prepared by Chef Tara Ogletree, along with music and a 50/50 raffle.

Tickets for the event are $65, which includes the meal and two drink tickets.

Proceeds from the event will go to support children’s art education at LaGrange Art Museum.

Every third Saturday of each month LaGrange Art Museum hosts a free family art day called Super Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Families are invited to enjoy an afternoon at the museum creating various art projects.

The most recent Super Saturday featured Celtic knot art projects in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Next month on April 15 families are invited to try their hand at wacky mark-making techniques and discover the art of Cheryl Goldsleger.

Super Saturdays are sponsored by the Junior Service League and are just one of the many children’s classes hosted by LAM.

The LaGrange Art Museums also offers children and adult art classes for a fee. Jennings said the classes with a fee are largely breakeven ventures.

“We try to do as many things as we can for free,” Jennings said, saying admission to the museum is free.

Jennings said they have classes for kids and adults, but they have had tremendous support for youth art programs.

She said their recent Creative Youth Art League had more than 300 people come out to support children’s art.

“Our slogan right now is ‘You belong here.’” Jennings said. “We just want the community to really take advantage of having this great space.”

Jennings said proceeds from the fundraiser go to a good cause. Their fundraising efforts also help them maintain their historic building, which was built in 1892, but the funds are primarily for art education.

“We have been meeting the community’s art needs for 60 years and we don’t charge for admission,” Jennings said, noting the museum also helps with local tourism.

The Denim & Diamonds fundraiser will be held at Del’Avant on Friday, April 14 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased online at lagrangeartmuseum.org or by calling 706-882-3267.