APRIL 25, 2013: Celebrating Artful Living
AFTA kicked off its 25th anniversary year at the Embassy of Finland in April, under the gracious patronage of Her Excellency Ritva Koukku-Ronde, Ambassador of Finland. There, friends and supporters of AFTA met honorees the Silver Singers, a chorus of Chinese elders from Family Matters Asian and Pacific Islanders Senior Center who have persevered with AFTA teaching artist Anthony Hyatt through cultural divides and language barriers to create a chorus. Now they make music together and find courage and delight in performing it. Reaching one of the highest achievements in the field of creative aging, the arts now live at the senior center even when AFTA is not there! It was an enchanting evening – we were dazzled by our 97 year old founder Lolo Sarnoff who joined us, and by special guests Judith Terra, Chair of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and WUSA9 anchor JC Hayward, co-chair of AFTA’s 25th anniversary year. Event coverage can be found via Washington Life and Swedish Scene. You can also view photographs here (stephaniewilliamsimages.com) and the event program too from the evening.
OCTOBER 22, 2012: Fall Benefit Party
“A Benefit Suited for All Ages.” On October 22, 2012 at D.C.’s Carnegie Institution for Science AFTA held its Fall Benefit Party Celebrating Art & Science and announced the kick-off of next year’s 25th Anniversary for which acclaimed artist Bill Dunlap will serve as Honorary Chair. Highlights included a champagne pre-reception, opera and spanish dance performances, a keynote address from the National Endowment for the Arts and tributes to a founding circle of longtime contributors. See more in our event photographs, from the evening program, and in coverage from The Washington Post, Bisnow and Swedish Scene.
“The Arts Know No Age.” Read what Montgomery County Gazette Seniors had to say about Arts for the Aging’s CoOPERAtion program with teaching artist Peter Burroughs, from May 2012.
What a sunny day it was for June 2012’s 22nd Annual Mixed Doubles Tennis Tournament raising proceeds to benefit AFTA. Round-robin play took place on private home courts in Greater Washington D.C., and semifinal, final and exhibition matches were at Fairfax Racquet and Fitness Club. The tournament’s reception and awards ceremony, hosted by His Excellency Jonas Hafström, the Ambassador of Sweden, and Mrs. Eva Hafström was lovely! You can view our blog and the tennis program for more details and photographs from the event.
“A Grand Success.” In November 2011 was the elegant success of the 23rd Annual Benefit Gala at the Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It featured presentation of the 4th Annual Lolo Sarnoff Award for Vision and Creativity to Dr. Dorothy Kosinski, Director of The Phillips Collection. View here for the event program and press coverage with Washington Post, Bisnow.com,HollywoodOnThePotomac.blogspot.com, LittleBlackBlog.net
Celebrate with AFTA on October 22
The Board of Trustees of Arts for the Aging is pleased to announce its upcoming Fall Benefit Party Celebrating Art & Science and the Ringing in of AFTA’s 25th Anniversary. The event will take place on Monday, October 22, 2012 at the Carnegie Institution for Science located at 1530 P Street, N.W. in Washington, D.C. There will be a champagne V.I.P. reception featuring a virtuoso opera performance at 6:00 p.m. in the Institution’s Board Room and the main event will take place from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. in the Rotunda. The evening will include a tribute to Founder and Chair Emerita, Lolo Sarnoff, a keynote address from the National Endowment for the Arts’ Sunil Iyengar on new research on the arts in health & well-being, salutes to AFTA’s Founding Circle of Trustees, Volunteers & Supporters and a performance of Spanish dance.
ADMISSION starts at $150 and V.I.P. and Sponsorship opportunities start at $350. Arts for the Aging is a 501(c)(3) charity. Support for the Benefit Party will help AFTA bring the joy of arts engagement to seniors, especially those who are vulnerable and frail in the D.C. metropolitan community.
MORE INFORMATION and event REGISTRATION is availableONLINE. Contact AFTA at [email protected] or 301-255-0103 with inquiries.
You Are Invited: Out of the Vault Opening Reception
AFTA is pleased to announce a special partnership it has forged in tandem with the opening of an extraordinary exhibition, Out of the Vault, the work of the Federal WPA artist Benjamin Abramowitz, whose New Deal-era lithographs have not been seen in nearly 70 years. JOIN US for the exhibition opening at the Woman’s National Democratic Club in Washington D.C. on September 20 (details below). Coming this fall is the exhibition’s outreach programming, The Rediscovery Project, that will take selected Abramowitz works to educate, engage and create dialogue among AFTA seniors about the tumultuous American scene of the 1930s and 1940s. Details are forthcoming.
We hope to see you at the opening!
