The Annual Summer Soirée celebrates the Jamestown Arts Center and opens the exhibition Canaries in the Coal Mine: Where have all the birds gone? with a gala fundraising event on Saturday, June 28 from 6-10pm.
The 13th annual Summer Soirée is the Jamestown Arts Center’s signature event, providing an unforgettable evening of art, culinary delights, and community. Attendees are invited to enjoy raw bar, cocktails, summer savories, a unique live auction, live music, and dancing.
“The vital funding raised through this annual fundraiser enables the JAC to be a place where creativity and innovation thrive,” states Christine Cocca, JAC Executive Director. “This celebration fuels our mission to present exhibitions, live music, film and dance performances, and hands-on educational programs for all ages. Plus, the Soirée is always a memorable evening!”
Beginning May 12, tickets will be available online at www.jamestownartcenter.org/soiree-2025 and are $250, $225 for JAC members. Benefactor tickets are $395 and include a curator-led, behind-the-scenes look at the exhibition on June 24, before it opens to the public, and a limited-edition artwork by the JAC Distinguished Artist of the Year.
Invited attire is bird themed with bold colors and accoutrements encouraged. The exhibition Canaries in the Coal Mine is on view June 28 through August 23, 2025.
About the Exhibition
The number of birds in North America has declined by 3 billion in the last 50 years – and one in eight bird species are under threat of extinction. Birds play an important role in the ecosystem by eating insects, dispersing seeds, and pollinating plants (not to mention the pleasure we receive from watching birds and hearing their distinctive calls).
Canaries in the Coal Mine: Where have all the birds gone? centers around the titular theme of loss among the animal kingdom due to ecological disasters such as human disasters, climate change, the presence of invasive species, and the use of pesticides. This exhibition features an array of internationally recognized artists who reflect on the serious dangers birds face.
About the Curator
Rachel Rosenfield Lafo is an independent curator, writer, and lecturer. She previously served as director of the Richmond Art Gallery in Richmond, BC; Director of Curatorial Affairs at the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, Lincoln, MA, and Associate Curator at the Portland Art Museum, Oregon.
Summer Soiree Event Committee
Honorary Chair: Peter and Maria Flood
Co-chairs: Linda Chapman, Wooley Dutton, Jody Eyre
Committee: Amy Barclay, Catherine Bowen, Rosemary Burns, Christine Cocca, Karen Conway, Donna DeFusco, Dianne Grippi, Maddie Machado, Kate Petrie, Kayleigh Rooney, Eliza Ross, Jody Saarmaa, Leslie Streuli, Vivi Valentine
At a Glance
WHAT: Opening of Canaries in the Coal Mine: Where have all the birds gone? exhibition at the Jamestown Arts Center’s 13th Annual Summer Soirée
WHEN: Saturday, June 28, 6-10pm; Benefactor’s preview on Tuesday, June 24, 6 pm
ATTIRE: Bird themed, with bold colors and accoutrements welcome
WHERE: Jamestown Arts Center, 18 Valley Street, Jamestown
TICKETS: $250/$225 individual ticket, and $395 which includes a behind-the-scenes look at the exhibition and original artwork by JAC Distinguished Artist of the Year. Available at https://www.jamestownartcenter.org/soiree-2025 beginning May 12.
