Dearest artist friends and referred friends-of-friends,
I am happy to be returning this year as a Co-Chair for ArteEast's annual fall benefit, scheduled for the evening of Monday, November 3, in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Honorees for this year's celebration will be: Leeza Ahmady (curator, writer, educator), Hala Alyan (writer, poet, educator), Hamid Rahmanian + Melissa Hibbard (ArteEast co-founders, cultural activists and creative partners)
As with last year's event, I am helping organize an accompanying auction with Artsy to further support the organization's mission to advocate and amplify the voices of artists and filmmakers from the Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) regions and their diasporas--at a time in our history that is even more critical than ever, and with the extra urgency to help subsidize recent financial gaps created by terminated government funding. At this time, I invite you to please consider contributing an artwork to this year's auction (live October 22--November 5th). Contributed work will ideally be within the $250-$10,000 value range; new and unique work as well as older and editioned works (prints) are warmly welcomed. Additional details can be found in the contribution form below, including benefit options for participating artists as a gesture of our sincerest gratitude.
As a fellow artist, I know there are a lot of requests for support from all of us at the moment--if interested and able, your commitment would really mean a great deal to us. If you could please let us know by this Friday (September 19) if you intend on participating by replying with a quick email HERE, that would be greatly appreciated. Deadline to complete the contribution form is Sept 26.
ARTEEAST 2025 BENEFIT AUCTION CONTRIBUTION FORM
Many of you kindly participated in the auction last year--which helped us raise over $31,000 post-expenses--in addition to attending the benefit, raising glasses, and boogying-down with us. For those that missed it, I've included highlights for you to check out below.
Thank you so much for your consideration--we look forward to hearing from you soon!
Much love,
Michael
2025 Participating Auction Artists confirmed to date include:
Alyssa Fanning, Amy Talluto, Armita Rafaat, Baris Gokturk, Bob Szantyr, Carlo Cittadini, Christian Joy, Courtney Childress, Emilia Wild Olsen, Erin Johnson, Esther Ruiz, Hiba Kalache, Hossein Edalatkhah, Jennifer Caviola, Jessalyn Aaland, Johannah Herr, Julia Norton, Katarina Janeckova, Kelly Worman, Kevork Mourad , Lars Van Dooren, Matthew Logsdon, Maya Hayuk, Melissa Godoy-Nieto, Michael Hambouz, Nadia Tahoun, Nick Naber, Rachel Jackson, Rachid Bouhamidi, Stephen Somple, Yuri Shimojo
