Belle Bazaar Gala supports the Fort Smith Art Center

 

story and photos by Ruby Dean
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More than 110 art supporters gathered Saturday (May 22) to have a few laughs and help raise money for the Fort Smith Art Center.

The Belle Bazaar Gala is one of Fort Smith’s longest running, well-established annual charity events. Art Center officials said they hoped the gala, held at Golden Living corporate headquarters in Fort Smith, would raise up to $20,000.

Guests enjoyed a buffet style dinner which included petite Caesar in a crouton basket, spring Waldorf salad, french rolls, potatoes Napoleon, bacon-wrapped asparagus, chicken Marsala and carved beef tenderloin with Bearnaise — all prepared by Chef Mickey Sellard. Guests were also treated to an open bar and hors d’oeuvres.

Musical entertainment was provided by J.D. Chitwood, a self-taught musician from Van Buren. A slide show was presented by Philip Merry Jr., that displayed the new location for the Fort Smith Regional Art Center at 1601 Rogers Ave.

The new center will open sometime next year. The building was donation from Arvest Bank. More than 2,000-square-feet of the more than 15,000-square-foot building will house the permanent collection. Additional storage space will be available for endowed work, and a gift shop and meeting places.

Art Center officials recently announced they would change their name to the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum in early 2011. They also announced they were more than $1.1 million toward a $2.2 million fundraising goal.

The gala’s live auction began at 7:30 p.m. and included works of original art, trips and high-end items. Auction items were sold from $100 to as high as $2,600. All proceeds from the auction were 100% profit for the art center.

To end the evening, the guests were entertained by comedians Doug Shadell and Paul Hickman Jr.