Online fundraiser for Arts Project Australia

Saturday 16 March 2020 saw studio and gallery Arts Project Australia close its doors to its more than 150 artists due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now as the doors reopen, the arts precinct is looking back at this sombre day and presenting an aptly named online fundraising auction The Day We All Went Home at 3pm Sunday 28 June 2020.

The auction will help raise much-needed funds for the Arts Project Australia organisation and its artists and will present the works soulfully left in studios by their creators on 16 March 2020 as they heeded to instructions to leave their studios and go home.

The Day We All Went Home will offer 96 lots of 100 works by 54 artists from Arts Project Australia’s studio and three collaborating Melbourne-based artists, and include painting, drawing, photography, digital art, ceramics, textiles and soft sculpture with prices ranging from AUD $100 to $8,000.

Highlights include a one-off suite of works on paper and ceramic sculptures by internationally acclaimed artists Julian Martin and Alan Constable as well as collaborative works by Eden Menta with Melbourne-based artists Richard Lewer and Janelle Low.

Auction house Leonard Joel will host and sponsor the fundraising initiative and waive the buyer’s premium, with 100% of proceeds going to participating artists and Arts Project Australia.

“Deep into the COVID-19 crisis, I was aware that APA had to shut down and times would be challenging,” says John Albrecht, Leonard Joel’s managing director. “I suggested, at no cost to APA, Leonard Joel could provide an opportunity to curate a significant online art auction that spoke to all their artists, promoted their wonderful work and, just as importantly, generated income for them.”

For more information and to view the online auction, visit the auction website.

Image: Jimmy Tran, The Hero Man Series (volumes 1 -10) 2018-2019. Marker, fineliner and paint pen on paper, 21 x 15cm.