Richmond Center to host anniversary gala

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The Richmond Center for Visual Arts will honor its 10-year anniversary with a benefit gala at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, at the facility on the campus of Western Michigan University. In addition to celebrating a decade of contemporary art and community support, the event will raise funds for the future of the center’s world-class exhibition program. It will include dinner, cocktails, music and a silent auction.

Titled "Art and Soul," the gala also pays tribute to patrons and supporters. "Just as contemporary art nourishes the soul, the Richmond Center's audience creates the foundation of our identity—our 'soul' as an institution," says Dr. Indra Lācis, director of exhibitions.

Tickets cost $100 and may be purchased at mywmu.com/rcvagala. Jim and Lois Richmond, for whom the facility is named, have furthered their support of the Richmond Center for Visual Arts by matching funds from ticket sales and individual donations, up to $10,000.

Richmond Center for Visual Arts

Since opening its doors in 2007, the Richmond Center for Visual Arts has displayed a wide variety of contemporary art in its galleries. From work by WMU students and faculty to major international and traveling exhibitions, it maintains an extensive exhibition calendar, hosting nearly 10,000 visitors each year. The galleries are always free and open to the public. Proceeds from the benefit gala will allow the center to continue its diverse programming and fulfill its mission of "sparking conversation and sustaining dialogue about the social, political, aesthetic and cultural role of art in the 21st century."

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