Newsroom Post: PRINCETON, NJ:

Princeton, NJ  – Tickets are now available for the Arts Council of Princeton’s (ACP) signature spring art and wine fundraiser, Art People Party on Friday, April 14 from 7-10pm. Known for transforming spaces with fantastical décor and artistic installations, the Arts Council announces the event will be themed “Club 57 & the Cosmic Closet”, transporting attendees to the early 1980s East Village art scene of Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, RuPaul and more. Partygoers will jam to the music of the era spun by DJ Darius and enjoy the Nomad Pizza truck, street eats, and open beer and wine bar.

One of the highlights of the evening is the Tombola, an Italian-style art lottery of original works contributed by 30+ talented local artists. Having previewed the available choices and making a quick decision when their number is drawn, each Tombola ticket holder takes home an original work of art.

Preview the donated Tombola artwork in the Taplin Gallery at the ACP’s Paul Robeson Center for the Arts until April 2.

“I absolutely love seeing all the local art and artists represented at the event, as well as sampling food from local restaurants and great wine,” shares Honorary Chair Timothy M. Andrews, when asked about his favorite aspects of Art People Party. “Then, of course, there’s the fun of prioritizing which art I select first, with hopes that my Tombola number will be drawn quickly. I so enjoy the bingo-like atmosphere as we all see how the evening’s selection of art will proceed. One year, I was the very first number picked, and it was incredibly exciting. Since then, I’ve been closer to the final 20%, but have always been able to get one of the artworks on my original list of 10 or 12 I’d especially love to take home. All of that said, the most important part of the evening is that it raises money to support the Anne Reeves Artist-in-Residence Program and community outreach initiatives.”

ACP Executive Director Adam Welch shares the special history behind the event’s name: “Art People Party” was the theme of the first ‘May Day Art Fair’, an ACP-organized event held in 1971. The party began on the lawn of Nassau Hall and on Palmer Square Green with a maypole, doll carriage parade, and folk dancing, eventually becoming the event that brought 40,000+ people to Princeton known to us as Communiversity”, explains Welch. “We thought it appropriate to recognize our spring fundraiser for what it really is, an Art People Party, celebrating the transformative power of art and having a good time doing it.”

Tickets for Art People Party are $150 for an event ticket and $350 for a Tombola entry. For tickets and more information, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org or call 609.924.8777 x 103.

Revenue raised from Art People Party supports the Arts Council’s Anne Reeves Fund, which supports community arts initiatives and the ACP’s Artist-in-Residence Program. As well as our many outreach programs that benefit underserved youth and teens, low-income seniors, neurodivergent adults, and more. Major contributors to this event include sponsors Timothy M. Andrews and Truist Wealth. For a full list of sponsors, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.

The Arts Council of Princeton, founded in 1967, is a non-profit organization with a mission of Building Community through the Arts. Housed in the landmark Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, designed by architect Michael Graves, the ACP fulfills its mission by presenting a wide range of programs including exhibitions, performances, free community cultural events, and studio-based classes and workshops in a wide range of media. Arts Council of Princeton programs are designed to be high-quality, engaging, affordable and accessible for the diverse population of the greater Princeton region.