Art lovers rejoice: The Contemporary Dayton’s 27th Annual Art Auction returns

The ticketed event will be held in the Dayton Arcade rotunda
The Contemporary Dayton (The Co, formerly The Dayton Visual Arts Center) will hold the 27th Annual Art Auction Friday, June 25, 2021 at the Dayton Arcade. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

The Contemporary Dayton (The Co, formerly The Dayton Visual Arts Center) will hold the 27th Annual Art Auction Friday, June 25, 2021 at the Dayton Arcade. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Dayton’s favorite art auction is back and in-person this year. The Contemporary Dayton will host the 27th Annual Art Auction Friday, June 25 at the Dayton Arcade.

Artwork by Bruce Soifer will be among the works in the Contemporary Dayton's 27th Annual Art Auction Friday, June 25. SUBMITTED

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The auction will be the first ticketed event to take place in the newly restored rotunda in the historic Dayton Arcade. Tickets will be limited to 125 guests and cost $75 for members of The Co and $90 for non-members.

“It is an honor for The Co to host the first ticketed event in the Rotunda at the Dayton Arcade. We have gone above and beyond this year to give our guests an event that they deserve: an exclusive, safe, in-person event with stunning art in a magical atmosphere,” Eva Buttacavoli, executive director of The Co., said in a release.

“After postponing our usual April Annual Art Auction in 2020 and later moving it to entirely online, we are thrilled to invite all to be back together in-person for a wildly fun, highly eclectic, fast-paced evening of all things contemporary art.”

Artwork by Willis "Bing" Davis will be among the works in the Contemporary Dayton's 27th Annual Art Auction Friday, June 25. SUBMITTED

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Shaun Yu of WDPR will be master of ceremonies and Doug Sorrell will be the auctioneer. After the live auction guests will enjoy dessert, wine, coffee and dancing in The Co’s new galleries.

The auction will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and feature the work of nearly 100 Dayton-area and nationally-known artists. Proceeds fund future exhibitions and programs.

Among the artists with area ties are Zachary Armstrong, Willis “Bing” Davis, Katherine Kadish, Evelyn Mahrt, Mychaelyn Michalec, Richard Malogorski, and Bruce Soifer.

Among the numerous nationally-renowned artists will be: Ann Hamilton, Ohio resident and celebrated “sensory” and fabric installation artist; Donald Moffett, New York AIDS-era activist, designer, and celebrated painter; American photojournalist/photo-anthropologist Bill Owens, whose 1973 book Suburbia is considered one of the seminal photobooks of the 20st century; and Detroit-based artist Beverly Fishman who creates powerful abstract paintings that address technology and the pharmaceutical industry.

Artwork by Katherine Kadish will be among the works in the Contemporary Dayton's 27th Annual Art Auction Friday, June 25. SUBMITTED

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An online auction will be held June 23 at 10 a.m. through June 27 at 9 p.m. There will be more than 60 works of art showcasing area artists to bid on as well as a selection of virtual and in-person art encounters.

Viewing and bidding on artwork and experiences is available at no cost, but you must register to bid at thecontemporarydayton.org.

The Co will offer a grand prize raffle for a chance to host the first cocktail party in The Co’s new galleries for up to 25 guests. The party includes select wines, craft beers, light bites, and music.

Raffle tickets are available now at The Co’s downtown location or at thecontemporarydayton.org. Tickets are $25 each or 5 for $100.

More information and tickets for the auction can be found at The Co’s website or in-person at its new downtown location, 25 W. Fourth St.

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