Potpourri Fundraising Gala Set for Dec. 3, Honoring Anne Robinson
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Lee Hardin bids during the live auction at Potpourri in December 2018. Potpourri 2022: Roaring for the Arts will feature a live auction to raise money for the Arts & Science Center.
Biennial Event to Raise Money for Bellamy Theater Upgrades
Matt Soto and Anne S. Robinson perform during the 1995 Razzle Dazzle variety show fundraiser at The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas. ASC’s fundraiser gala Potpourri 2022 is hosted in memory of Robinson, who died in 2021. Soto will emcee the event.
Potpourri is The Arts & Science Center’s (ASC) longest-running fundraiser, which sustains the museum’s free gallery admission and high-caliber programming.
Potpourri: Roaring For The Arts set for 6-11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, will feature several classic elements with a fresh, new twist.
The event will be held in memory of longtime ASC supporter and volunteer Anne S. Robinson, who died in 2021. Thanks to an anonymous donor, all donations will be matched 1-to-1, up to $45,000. This matching contribution will support much-needed upgrades to the lighting and sound systems in our Catherine M. Bellamy Theater, as well as contribute to the overall sustainability of ASC.
“Anne Robinson truly loved the Arts & Science Center. She took advantage of every opportunity to advocate for the museum and its programming,” says ASC Executive Director Dr. Rachel Miller.
Miller remembers Robinson’s dedication to introducing friends and family to the museum, always encouraging them to be involved as members, donors, or volunteers. “Anne Robinson was tenacious in her support of ASC, especially in her fundraising efforts,” Miller said. “There will never be anyone else like her.”
The gala will feature dinner by Chef Jamie McAfee of the Pine Bluff Country Club, drinks sponsored by M.K. Distributors, a silent art auction, a silent spirits auction, live music by Dave Sadler, and a live auction with Master of Ceremonies Matt Soto.
Potpourri will take place for the first time at The ARTSpace on Main, 623 S. Main St. The ARTSpace is part of a 22,000-square-foot ASC campus expansion project, completed in 2021, which is a new vibrant community arts and events space in downtown Pine Bluff.
John Kushmaul paints during ASC’s Summer Bash event in June 2022. The Jefferson County native is the featured artist for the 2022 Potpourri silent art auction. His works in the auction will be on public display in the Loft Gallery of The ARTSpace on Main from NOv. 1 to Dec., 2022.
The fundraiser will feature complimentary valet parking to accommodate the new venue.
The money raised by Potpourri, Miller explained, is vital to the sustainability of ASC’s extended campus, The ARTSpace on Main and ART WORKS on Main.
“Our programming has tripled since 2020 with the creation of The ARTSpace and ART WORKS on Main,” explains Miller. “These funds allow ASC to continue growing and diversifying our programs and events, as well as our presence in the community.”
Guitarist Dave Sadler will perform during the 2022 Potpourri gala on Dec. 3.
Potpourri sponsors announced so far include Express Employment Professionals, Jefferson Regional Medical Center, M.K. Distributors, Relyance Bank, Simmons Bank, Kline Family Foundation, Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel Co., and SEARK College.
Laura Beth Shaner is the chair of the 2022 event. A lifetime resident of Pine Bluff, Shaner has been a longtime supporter of the Arts & Science Center.
“ASC offers unique creative opportunities for all ages, and raising funds through Potpourri helps ensure those opportunities will continue,” she said.
Shaner continued, “The arts are important to every community, but in an economically challenged area like ours, it is an important reminder that creativity and imagination can be a part of our lives, regardless of our situation. I think that’s especially true for local children, whose first exposure to the arts often comes at The Arts & Science Center.”
The Potpourri: Roaring for the Arts silent art auction will feature works by artists including Dustyn Bork of Batesville, Amy Darragh of Little Rock, Sigrid Lorfing Goodwin of Springdale, Jennifer Perren of Little Rock, and Tom Richard of Monticello. The pieces will be viewable in the galleries of the first floor of The ARTSpace on Main.
John Kushmaul of Little Rock is the featured artist for Potpourri 2022. Kushmaul grew up in White Hall, and many of his pieces for this exhibition depict landmarks and landscapes in Jefferson County. HIs artwork will be available for purchase beginning with a pop-up exhibition from Tuesday, Nov. 1, to Thursday, Dec. 1, in the Loft Gallery at The ARTSpace on Main.
Master of Ceremonies Matt Soto will return to the 2022 Potpourri gala.
The Potpourri artworks will also be available to preview online.
The spirits auction, a popular feature of Potpourri, also returns this year. “The auction will feature a large variety of spirit packages, paired in creative, beautiful ways,” says Morgun Henson, ASC’s communications and development coordinator.
Tickets are $200 for members and $250 for nonmembers. They may be purchased here, by calling 870-536-3375, or in person at ASC’s front desk. Tickets are limited and expected to sell out quickly.
For more information or to become a sponsor, contact Henson at mhenson@asc701.org.
Those who cannot attend may make a contribution to support ASC. Donate online here. To make a contribution over the phone, call Cynthia Gaddy at 870-536-3375.
Checks may also be dropped off or mailed to: The Arts & Science Center, ATTN: Potpourri Fund, 701 S. Main St., Pine Bluff, AR 71601.
