GIVE to get art auction

For more than 20 years, the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) has welcomed attendees for the Give to Get Art Auction, an annual fundraising event in support of local art, artists, and the OAG’s public exhibitions, permanent collection, and community programming. 

This prominent annual event will take place on Thursday, May 16th, 2024 between 5:30 PM and 8:30 PM in the ultramodern Alma Duncan Salon on the third floor of the OAG (10 Daly Avenue). 

Online bidding opens on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024, at 8:30 AM and closes on Thursday, May 16th, 2024, at 8:30 PM. 

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to purchase some incredible local artwork!  Additionally, 50% of the proceeds from the art auction sales will go directly to the exhibiting artists, who are all locally based and at varying stages of their careers. 

The 2024 event will inspire attendees from across the region as we celebrate the important work done at the OAG. Mix and mingle with over 450 of Ottawa’s corporate leaders, philanthropic community members, artists and special guests while enjoying a variety of passed hors d’oeuvres and interactive food stations, savouring local wine, beer and spirits, and bidding on a selection of over 95 custom artworks created by artists from across the region. 

Prepare to be immersed in the exciting art activations and live music that will entertain and delight attendees throughout the evening, and don’t miss out on the every-box-a-winner raffle featuring one-of-a-kind jewelry from an assortment of Canadian artisans and high-end jewellers! Be sure to visit the artful henna station, get a drink from one of several themed bars and take a photo in our 360 photobooth! 

New this year, art-lovers can also bid on the chance to win commissions from a variety of celebrated artists – photo portraits, tattoos, wearable art, and more!  

Want to see the artwork in person before placing your bids? The exhibition will be available for FREE public viewings on Tuesday, May 14th and Wednesday, May 15th  between  10:00 AM and 6:00 PM and on Thursday, May 16th from 10:00 AM until 12:00 PM (noon).  

The artwork will also be on display during the event on Thursday, May 16th, where you will also have the opportunity to meet the artists, for an even more immersive opportunity to view and connect with your favourite pieces. 

All funds raised through this event will help to ensure that the OAG can continue to: 

• Offer FREE admission to our exhibitions, vernissages, and public programs, reaching patrons and participants from toddlers to seniors.
• Grow our Mental Health and Art Therapy initiatives through the partnerships we have fostered with our Creative Space program, which is a service that our community needs now more than ever.
• Support local artists across their life cycle, with specific approaches for emerging, mid-career, and mature artists, along a spectrum of strategies and resources including mentorship, exhibition support, profile building, and other means to enhance an artist’s continued evolution.
• Foster an inclusive, welcoming environment for everyone to engage with and enjoy, including taking active steps to recruit and retain staff and board members from the Black, Indigenous, racialized, francophone, 2SLGBTQQIA+, and disability-identified communities, as well as conducting an annual audit of our collections, programs and operations to identify gaps, systemic barriers and challenges throughout all areas of our operations.
• Further green practices throughout the OAG building and our organizational operations, including a net-zero audit and plan to minimize waste produced by the OAG’s programs and administration. 

And so much more! 

Last year the event attracted over 450 attendees from across the Ottawa area, and together we raised over $140,000 in support of local arts and cultural development at the OAG, plus an additional $20,000 that went directly to the exhibiting artists from the auction proceeds. Together, let’s make this year another enormous success! 

Photos : Melody Habbouche