LETTER FROM COLLECTORS’ NIGHT CO-CHAIRS

DEAR FRIENDS OF WPA,

It’s hard to believe that 12 months ago we were preparing for a 400-person party to take place in April of 2020, with no idea what the world had in store for us. And yet here we are, one year later, envisioning the top half of our party outfits, chilling the champagne, and charging our devices, brimming with excitement for WPA’s virtual Collectors’ Night 2021 benefit party and auction!

With all the challenges this year brought, we are using this occasion to celebrate the bright spots and inspiring moments. In 2020-21, WPA reaffirmed our commitment to our artists, successfully adapting every one of our artist-organized programs for remote engagement. In turn, we were rewarded by the much needed joy, laughter, and human connection that these programs brought. We came together as a community for dance, films, conversation, visual art, storytelling, and even cooking (we can still smell the sweet corn flour from our Virtual Arepera). We supported one another, from gentle reminders to “unmute” to our COVID recovery initiative that led to the distribution of over $100,000 in artist relief grants. We are proud that WPA stepped up to meet the challenges of this time. We are also proud of the work that WPA is doing now, and will continue to do in support of artists and their ideas, research, and exploration as we enter a phase of recovery and renewal.

And so we look with great enthusiasm to the brightest spot of all this spring, WPA’s 40th annual Collectors’ Night benefit party, which marks the opening of a two-week auction hosted by Artsy. The auction features incredible works by the artists you’ll see featured in this publication, plus nearly 100 more. While we wish we could gather to celebrate in person, we’re thrilled to share this celebratory moment with you. Your involvement, as a supporter of WPA, host committee member, sponsor, artist, or party guest, means so much to us, and enables WPA to continue producing artist-organized projects now and into the future.

Thank you for supporting this event, and for being a friend to WPA.

Warmly,

Brittany Bansak Co-Chair Martha Blalock Co-Chair