City Arts Center is pleased to present the 17th annual fundraiser, Café City Arts 2010: Elevation, January 29 from 7:30-11:00 pm at City Arts Center (3000 General Pershing Boulevard).

Café City Arts is an annual celebration and art sale that features local and regional artists. For the past 16 years, proceeds from the fundraiser have enabled year-round visual arts exhibits free of charge to the public. Artists participating in the exhibit donate 50% of their art sales income to City Arts Center.

“Complementing the impressive work, the galleries will be transformed to an environment that exemplifies Elevation,” said Clint Stone, Artistic Director at City Arts Center. “Using light and constructed embellishments the galleries will be intended to be seen as a port that demonstrates City Arts Center’s progression into the future. With adornment theme of electric pink, the galleries will not only provide a dynamic atmosphere for the January 29 gala will provide an additional element to the Invitational.”

Tickets for Café City Arts are $50 per ticket in advance and $60 if purchased at the door. Tickets may be purchased at City Arts Center at 3000 General Pershing Boulevard or by calling 951-0000.

"Café City Arts has become Oklahoma City’s first artistic fundraising celebration of the year,” said David Leader, Café 2010 chair. “The entire art gallery is transformed into an impressive entertainment venue.  As co-chair of this event I am so grateful for the high level of prestige that City Arts staff, volunteers, and donors have for supporting unrestricted year-around viewing of visual arts for everybody."

Patrons have the opportunity to purchase amazing works of art, meet the artists and indulge in food and drinks from some of the metro’s finest restaurants. Café 2010 restaurants include Paseo Grill, La Luna Mexican Café, James E. McNellie's Public House, Seasons Catering, Rococo Restaurant and Wine Bar, Pearls, Hilton Skirvin Hotel and Good Egg Dining Group. Participating artists include Rick Bewley, Tracey Bewley, Dylan Bradway, Mike Bruno, Kim Camp, J Don Cook, Debbie Curtis, Dan Garrett, Matt Goad, Kyle Golding, Dustin Hamby, Michelle Himes McCrory, Howard Koerth, Marko Kratohvil, Leslie Lienau, Harolyn Long, Suzanne Wallace Mears, J Michelle Martin Coyne, Hugh Meade, JP Morrison, Chad Mount, Romy Owens, Ben Pendleton, Jose Perales, Zachary Presley, Brad Price, Klint Schor, Bert Seabourn, Joe Slack, Michi Susan, Dee Unsell, BJ White, Elia Woods, Dean Wyatt and May Yang.

“Café City Arts is a wonderful showcase for local creative talent and this year’s theme of ‘Elevation’ sees us literally taking our aspirations to a higher level.  As well as having a very strong body of work from artists who have contributed in previous years, Café 2010 introduces some new and exciting individuals to the OKC arts scene,” said Mary Ann Prior, Executive Director of City Arts Center.

“Working with the staff and volunteers of City Arts Center, as a past chair of Cafe City Arts, has been nothing short of fantastic,” said Louisa McCune Elmore, Café 2010 committee co-chair. “The mix of professionalism, art, and community inspires me in dozens of ways. Making art accessible to the hundreds of thousands--through galleries or hands-on classes--translates into a high quality of life on an intimate, personal level. To boot, few cities of our size have a community art center as sophisticated as City Arts, and to serve this organization in a creative fundraising capacity has been a career highlight for me. I hope the center will find ways for me to contribute in future years!”

Committee members for Café City Arts 2010 include: David Leader - Committee Chair, Louisa McCune Elmore as Co-Chair, Kim Bruno, Lori Tyler, Sheryl Pribyl, Romy Owens, Cheryl Jones, Ann Boozer, Michael Kirk, Robert Fuxa, Michelle Tibbs, Maryann Johndrow, Joan Maguire, Ann Johnstone, Marc Manseur, Regan Paquette and Mary Ellen Gumerson.

City Arts Center also wishes to thank our two main sponsors: Chesapeake Energy and the Chickasaw Nation.

The exhibit will remain on display in the Eleanor Kirkpatrick Gallery through February 27, 2010.