Backstage Treasures

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

 
Online Bidding Opens November 1, 2006

Cincinnati, OH – At 8:00AM on Wednesday, November 1, 2006, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) embraces a whole new way to show support for arts education and appreciation when the curtain rises on Backstage Treasures…and More!, an online auction that may be accessed at www.CincinnatiArts.ORG/backstage. 
 
The auction will run from November 1 - December 15 – just in time for holiday shopping – and promises to have a major impact on the community. CAA members and other potential bidders will soon be receiving e-mails about the auction, which may be forwarded to their friends and family, thus creating an unlimited number of guests who will “virtually attend” and take part in the auction. The public can also participate by visiting the auction website at www.CincinnatiArts.ORG/backstage. 
 
Using exciting new software provided by cMarket, Inc. (an organization with a focus on serving non-profit organizations) – and thanks to the generosity of sponsors such as National City Bank; Union Central Life Insurance Company; Entertainment Solutions; Horan Associates; Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse; Taft, Stetinius & Hollister; Embrace Sweets; Cristofoli Keeling; and McFadden’s Restaurant & Saloon – CAA has assembled an exciting catalog of auction items to encourage frequent bidding.
 
Items up for bid include: lunch at Palomino and a matinee of the hit Broadway musical “Disney’s THE LION KING” for eight people; a deluxe Louisville/Jaguar getaway; use of a condo in Telluride, CO.; happy hour for a hundred people at Bar Louie; a $1,000 gift certificate to Entertainment Solutions; Zoom! teeth bleaching; and many other exciting items and packages.
 
“We’re thrilled about Backstage Treasures…and More! because it allows us to open up support of our charitable mission to a much wider group of people,” said Steve Loftin, President and Executive Director of CAA.
 
“We’re extremely honored that CAA has chosen cMarket to help raise money for such an important cause,” said Jon Carson, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of cMarket. “We understand how challenging it is for nonprofits to raise funds solely through live auctions, since not all of their supporters are able to attend and place bids. This is a wonderful example of how non-profit organizations such as CAA can use technology to reach out to their supporters on a much larger scale and raise the funds they need to truly make a difference.”
 
Money raised by the auction will benefit CAA’s arts and education programs such as SchoolTime (which brings students to the Aronoff Center and Music Hall) and Artists on Tour (which takes local artists to area classrooms). In addition, funds will help support the visual arts programming at the Weston Art Gallery, including exhibitions by local and regional artists, the Gallery’s popular art programs for families, and Docentitos – its docent training for children.
 
Everyone is welcome to visit the auction online at www.CincinnatiArts.ORG/backstage to browse, shop, or just drop by and sign the guestbook to show their support of CAA. Item donations are still being accepted – simply log on to the site and click on the “Donate Now” button. Users can also contribute to the auction’s success by using the “Refer a Friend” button.
 
For more information about getting involved, contact CAA Membership Manager, Melissa English, at (513) 977-4104 or menglish@cincinnatiarts.org.
 
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