Public Special Events

Join the San Francisco Art Institute on May 10 for an exclusive Vernissage Preview Party celebrating the opening of the 2012 Master of Fine Arts Graduate Exhibition.
Purchase tickets here!

Be the first to view the innovative work of nearly 100 artists graduating from the country’s most forward-thinking fine art school. Meet and mingle with the artists in the retro-chic Phoenix Hotel, known for its rock ‘n roll edge and creative spirit.

This is the San Francisco Art Institute’s premier annual fundraiser. All net proceeds support student scholarships.

Date and Location

Thursday, May 10
Phoenix Hotel
601 Eddy Street
San Francisco, CA 94109

6:00 pm
Exhibition tours for Patrons, led by Guest Curators

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Dinner and drinks / Mingle with artists / Live performance art

Ticket Levels (Purchase tickets here)

Premier Patron – $10,000

• Tickets for 10 guests
• Tour of exhibition with dedicated guest curator of the Patron’s choice
• Table service of premium drinks and dinner fare
• Valet parking on site
• Name/company recognition on SFAI website, in Annual Report, and on signage throughout the four-day MFA Exhibition
• Table-side presentation of performance art pieces created by students especially for the event
• 6:00 pm entrance

Lead Patron – $5,000

• Tickets for 10 guests
• Tour of exhibition with dedicated guest curator assigned by SFAI
• Table service of premium drinks and dinner fare
• Valet parking on site
• Name/company recognition on SFAI website, in Annual Report, and on signage throughout the four-day MFA Exhibition
• 6:00 pm entrance

Table Patron – $3,500

• Tickets for 10 guests
• Tour of exhibition with guest curator
• Reserved table
• Cocktail buffet and drinks
• Valet shuttle service from UC Hastings parking garage
• Name recognition in SFAI Annual Report
• 6:00 pm entrance

Individual Patron – $350

• Tour of exhibition with guest curator
• Cocktail buffet and drinks
• Valet shuttle service from UC Hastings parking garage
• 6:00 pm entrance

Friend – $200

• Cocktail buffet, drinks, entertainment
• 7:00 pm entrance

Guest Curators

Lucinda Barnes
Chief Curator and Director of Programs and Collections
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive

Natasha Boas
Curator
Museum of Craft and Folk Art

Karin Breuer
Curator In Charge, Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Julian Cox
Founding Curator of Photography and Chief Curator
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
de Young Museum

Diana Daniels
Associate Curator of Contemporary Art
Crocker Art Museum

Courtney Fink
Executive Director
Southern Exposure

Rudolf Frieling
Curator of Media Arts
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

René de Guzman
Senior Curator
Oakland Museum of California

Betti-Sue Hertz
Director of Visual Arts
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

JoAnne Northrup
Director of Contemporary Art Initiatives
Nevada Museum of Art

Sandra Phillips
Senior Curator of Photography
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Renny Pritikin
Director of Richard L. Nelson Gallery
University of California, Davis

Event Committee

Terje Arnesen
Derek Barnes
Susan Duryea
Roberta Economidis
Jordan Felling
Lee Gregory, Chair *
Heather Holt Villyard
Marianna Stark

Premier Patrons

George and Beverly  James*

Lead Patrons

Steve and Sharon Edelman
John and Tina Keker
John Sanger*
Roselyne Chroman Swig*

* Designates SFAI Trustee or Emeritus Trustee