The Ballot Ball will celebrate the culmination of The Mint Museum’s groundbreaking ‘Vote for Art’ project
Thousands of visitors to Mint Museum Uptown have been casting ballots for their favorite works of art in “Vote for Art,” a project that invites the public to help the Mint build upon its permanent collection by participating in a one-of-a-kind election. And now, the project is building toward its culmination with the Ballot Ball, a gala bringing together three of the museum’s affiliate groups for the first time. The fundraising event is set for Friday, November 9 at the museum.
Tickets to the Ballot Ball are on sale for $200 per person; the gala chairs are Susan and John Cole, Simone McDowell, Laura and Stephen Philipson, and Kellie and Jeff Scott. Honorary chairs are the Honorable and Mrs. Anthony R. Foxx, Mr. and Mrs. James E. Rogers, Jr., and a diverse host committee consisting of passionate community leaders and arts supporters. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and will include cocktails and last-chance voting; dinner; the announcement of the winning work of art; and dessert and dancing. All funds raised will benefit The Mint Museum.
Voters are choosing from among six works of art selected by a committee consisting of curators and members of the Mint Museum Auxiliary, Founders’ Circle, and Young Affiliates of the Mint. A special early voting period during the Democratic National Convention drew more than 9,000 votes; voting opened to the general public at the museum’s Community Day on September 29 and will remain open through the first 90 minutes of the Ballot Ball. Election Day, November 6, will be a free admission day from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. at Mint Museum Uptown so any interested voters can come to the museum to vote for art after they travel to the polls to vote for their candidates.
“Vote For Art is an exciting and dynamic way for the museum to engage the public with the work of some of the best contemporary artists of our time, while leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint.
All six works are by contemporary artists from as far away as Denmark and Chile and as close as North Carolina, and three of the works represent the best current offerings from the field of craft and design, a particular focus for the Mint.
Voters must be inside the museum to cast a vote; no online voting is allowed, although an overview of the project is available on mintmuseum.org and visitors may use the website’s +INSPIRING button to show support for their favorites.
Only one ballot is permitted per visitor per day, but patrons can visit on multiple days if they wish to cast multiple votes for their favorite candidates. For non-members of the museum, admission must be paid for each visit unless it is during the museum’s scheduled free hours. And unlike the Board of Elections, the Mint does not require voters to be 18 – children are offered their own opportunities to cast ballots.
Click here for more information and images of the six works of art!