Planning to get my Pucci on for GMOA Gala #getyourpuccion

Georgia Museum of Art to host biennial fundraising gala and Pucci after-party

Guests dancing at the 2013 edition of Elegant Salute.

Athens, Ga.—The Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia will host its most important fundraiser, Elegant Salute, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015. Elegant Salute XIV, “An Elegant Salute to Georgia,” is the museum’s biennial gala featuring cocktails, dinner, dessert and dancing.

Hosted by the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art, the museum’s membership program, this year’s gala aims to highlight the museum’s distinction as the official state museum of art and to celebrate Georgia’s rich heritage of art, agriculture and natural beauty.

The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception in the Jane and Harry Willson Sculpture Garden. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be followed by dinner catered by Epting Events in the M. Smith Griffith Grand Hall. Following dinner, guests will return to the sculpture garden at 9:30 p.m. for dessert and dancing at the after-party featuring DJs Alfredo and Zdog.

The after-party is themed “Get Your Pucci On” in celebration of the museum’s exhibition, “Emilio Pucci in America” on view through Feb. 1, 2015. Guests of the after-party are encouraged to wear Pucci-inspired clothing. Guests can track postings or join in on the conversation about the after-party using the hashtag #getyourpuccion on Instagram and Twitter.

The museum relies on private donations to fund programming and exhibitions, making this event vital to the museum’s success. The Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art hope to raise $155,000 in support this year. The net proceeds from the fundraiser will support all of the museum’s exhibitions and educational programming.

Tickets for the event are sold in two tiers: full event or after-party. Tickets for the full event cost $300 and can be purchased through Jan. 21, 2015. Tickets for the after-party-only are $50 for members and $65 for nonmembers and allow entry for the dessert and dancing in the sculpture garden at 9:30 p.m. The after-party tickets can be purchased through Jan. 28, 2015. All tickets can be purchased online at http://bit.ly/gmoa-es2015 or from the Director of Membership, Michele Turner at maturner@uga.edu or 706-542-0830.

The event takes 12 to 18 months of planning by the various committees staffed by volunteers. This year’s event chairs are David Matheny and Michael Montesani. Mrs. M. Smith Griffith, informally known as “Smitty,” has agreed to serve as honorary chair. Griffith founded the event nearly 30 years ago, in 1986, as a way to attract donations and attention to the museum, a cause that has been dear to her heart since before 1973, when she co-founded its membership organization. Other committee chairs include: Airee Edwards and Everett Long (after-party), Maggie Hancock (décor), Lucy Allen (flowers), Kate Lynch (food), Greg Barnard and Gloria Ricks Taylor (fundraising), Lori Scott (logistics), Cheri Leavy (publicity) and Devereux Burch and Amburn Power (social).  

For more information on the event and sponsorship opportunities, please call Michele Turner at 706-542-0830.