Summer Art Circle is a new initiative of Avail Art, L.L.C. (“Avail Art”) designed to inspire a long-term commitment to arts philanthropy among society’s future leaders. The goal of Summer Art Circle is to create a pipeline of young art patrons who provide consistent financial support to the creation, exhibition, performance and proliferation of art.
The first season of Summer Art Circle takes place from June 1st through August 18th, 2006 for 500 summer associates at participating law firms in New York City. In addition to giving our members special access to the leading people and institutions in the world of arts and culture, Summer Art Circle helps summer associates successfully transition from law school to firm life by connecting them to an extended community of new professionals.
Our program features an opening cocktail reception, auction preview at Phillips de Pury & Company, panel discussion on Law & Art co-hosted by Alliance for the Arts and a closing party for all summer associate members. Summer associate members will also attend small group events in each of the following categories:
Escape from Manhattan – Off-island excursions to cultural sites in other Boroughs and beyond.
Saturday Art Walk – Saturday morning and afternoon tours of galleries and artists’ studios in neighborhoods throughout the city and the Hamptons.
Program Partners – Private tours, screenings, parties and related activities hosted by the young patron groups of internationally recognized cultural institutions.
On Patronage – Private collection visits and conversations with leaders in the art world that highlight examples of individual patronage and explain how to become an informed art collector.
Our Program Partners for Summer Art Circle 2006 are:
- The Apollo Circle at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Contemporary Friends at The Studio Museum in Harlem
- The Junior Associates at The Museum of Modern Art
- Late Nite Committee at The Public Theater
- The New Group at The New Museum of Contemporary Art
- Society in C at New York City Ballet
- Young Collectors Council at The Guggenheim Museum
- Young Friends of Film at The Film Society of Lincoln Center
- Young International Circle at El Museo Del Barrio
- Young Patrons Society at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
SummerArtCircle.com (the “Circle”) is a private online community that connects our members through networks of friends and colleagues for participation in cultural events and activities. By registering their membership with the Circle, our summer associate members can:
- Create a profile and invite other members into their virtual circle
- View the calendar of events and RSVP online
- Converse with other members in the online forum
- Watch video taped events in the online video gallery
- Stay connected to friends after the summer through August 2007
Each summer associate member also receives the Summer Art Circle Membership Card, which grants benefits and privileges from participating retail, hospitality and service businesses throughout the city.
Arts organizations today are heavily engaged in activities and programs designed to court new supporters. By making the art world more accessible and relevant to the lifestyles and interests of young professionals, Summer Art Circle seeks to be a solution to the young patron development challenges facing the art world today.
Founded in 2005 by a former corporate lawyer and foundation program officer, Avail Art develops signature programs that leverage technology to connect new audiences and young patrons to the fine arts. Avail Art’s creative solutions bring people, drawn from the widest possible range of social background, age, cultural orientation, and geographic location into contact with art.
The mission of Avail Art is to promote the global exchange of ideas by empowering people and the arts to engage in new ways.