IF YOU GOWhat: Chair-ries Jubilee.When: 6 p.m. today.Where: Museum Center at Five Points, 200 E. Inman St., Cleveland, Tenn.Admission: $25 at the door.Phone: 423-472-6587.
Chair-ries Jubilee salutes movie and television hits tonight with its "Lights, Camera, Auction" theme for the annual fundraiser. The curtain goes up at 6 p.m. for the opening act, a silent auction, in the Museum Center at Five Points in Cleveland, Tenn.
The fundraiser is sponsored by the Allied Arts Council of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce. All proceeds support arts education in Cleveland schools, said Nancy Casson, event chairwoman. Casson is owner of The Red Ribbon in Cleveland.
Casson said the fundraiser began as an auction of chairs only, which were painted then donated by area artists.
"In about 2004, we went to chairs and more," said Casson."The event starts with a silent auction at 6 o'clock and we start closing sections at 7:15. We close all sections by 8 p.m. when we have the live auction. There are usually 20 to 25 pieces in the live auction," she said.
David Carroll of Carroll & Green real estate company in Cleveland will serve as auctioneer.
Part of the fun, Casson said, is that even organizers never know how many pieces will be donated or how they'll be decorated until they are delivered during the two days before the fundraiser.
"It's always a big surprise. In past years, we've had anywhere from 167 to 232 items donated. It's not just chairs; we've had headboards, armoires, chests of drawers, sometimes even decorative lamps people made. We have a gentleman who does yard sculpture and a lady who does jewelry," she said.
While patrons browse the silent auction, they can sample the specialties of nine Cleveland restaurants and caterers who donated food, as well as beverages compliments of three local vendors.
Casson said in the 12 years since Chair-ries Jubilee began, the event has raised more than $240,000 for arts education in Cleveland schools. The proceeds fund teacher grants as well as visiting artists in the schools.