Laguna Art Museum raises $450,000 through California Cool Art Auction

Laguna Art Museum brought in more than $450,000 at its California Cool Art Auction on March 4, the museum announced this week.

The event, in its 41st year, acts as a fundraiser to support education programs and exhibits at the institution.

Works of more than 135 California artists were featured in the auction. The artwork was hung on the museum’s walls, but the auction was held online to allow for more people to participate.

A sold-out crowd also enjoyed a live performance from Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats.

“The gross amount that we raised, it’s about 15% of our annual operating budget,” Victoria Gerard, deputy director of the museum, said. “It certainly is a help, and of course it was a fundraiser, but what’s really invaluable here, especially for the museum, is kind of the ability to celebrate and promote California artists, which is so foundational to the museum’s history and mission.

“On top of that, the community building and the community connection was really wonderful, more so, I felt, this year than last year. … People were still recovering from the past few years of the pandemic, and there was just a lot more energy and excitement in the room.”

Laguna Art Museum recently installed a new exhibition called “Facing the Giant — Three Decades of Dissent.” The exhibit features works of Shepard Fairey, who is known for depicting the struggle against oppression and the fight for change. It will be on view at the museum through June 4.

“Part of the thing that’s so exciting about Shepard’s work for me and Shepard’s work here at the museum is the unique way that art can kind of raise awareness but also contextualize an issue,” Gerard said. “It is biased, of course. It has an opinion, but it sort of creates some kind of a … conversation if you’re standing and looking at an artwork. It gets people talking.”

Laguna Art Museum also announced Thursday that it was awarded a $178,288 grant from the California Cultural and Historical Endowment to aid the museum’s Create Access Program.

The program assists students from kindergarten through high school in various liberal and fine arts capacities by providing free art classes and educational tours. It is expected to serve 5,000 disadvantaged students falling under the Title I banner in Orange County by 2024.

“We are so grateful to receive this generous gift from the California Cultural and Historical Endowment to help support the museum’s Create Access Program,” Julie Perlin Lee, executive director of the museum, said in a statement.

She specified the funds will help the museum expand its education initiatives to engage students in underserved populations.

Art-A-Fair sees strong response to call for artists

A Laguna Beach art festival has seen a dramatic uptick in interest from artists looking to showcase their work during the town’s summer festival season.

Art-A-Fair officials reported that they received 235 artist applications to be included in the show, more than doubling the average from recent years.

“We are thrilled with the response to our call for entries,” Bob Ross, president of Art-A-Fair, said in a statement. “Our commitment to providing a highly visible and enjoyable venue for artists from all over the world to showcase their artwork is getting noticed, and we are proud to see such a diverse group of very talented artists responding to our call.”

Festival officials said the juried show received international entries, which included artists from the countries of Armenia, Guatemala and Mexico.

The Art-A-Fair summer festival will run from June 30 through Sept. 3.

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