Press Release Fun: The 19th Annual Children’s Book Art Auction

The 19th Annual Children’s Book Art Auction has been a highlight of children’s programming at BookExpo America and raises funds in support of the free speech rights of young readers. This event offers a unique opportunity to buy beautiful, original art in children’s literature from leading, award-winning artists and illustrators of children’s books and a chance to socialize with friends from around the country, while supporting the all-important efforts opposing the censorship of children’s books and authors nationwide. This is a highly anticipated and fun event on the industry’s social calendar, and the only annual event where the entire children’s book industry is in the same room, including booksellers, publishers, authors, artists, illustrators, other industry professionals, and fans of illustrated children’s books and supporters of the free speech rights of young readers.

The event will be held on Wednesday, May 29, 2013 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm in the River Pavilion of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City in conjunction with BookExpo America. Proceeds will support the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression’s defense of the free speech rights of young readers. ABFFE is a co-founder of the Kids’ Right to Read Project (KRRP) and a principal sponsor of Banned Books Week, the only national celebration of the freedom to read.

The event is shaping to be a really fun event: Bestselling authors Jack Gantos and Lauren Myracle are co-hosting, many of the illustrators will be in attendance, there will be a live auction, a special tribute to the late Maurice Sendak will feature pieces created by children’s book illustrators in honor of Sendak, who mentored and inspired many artists. A special auction area will be devoted to the items. Check out some of the Sendak-inspired artwork that has arrived so far. We’re announcing today that we’ve acquired an actual, original, signed sketch by Sendak! There will be food, drinks, raffle items, a couple of bookish-related photobooth props, and more.

In addition to the auction website, we’re promoting it on Flickr, Facebook and Pinterest. Most of the art is already online (I’m working as fast as I can to get the rest up!) We just got a great article and slideshow in today’s Huffington Post.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: We’ll be setting up all day on Wednesday, May 29 at the Javits Center, the event itself is that evening from 5:30 – 7:30pm, then break-down will probably last about an hour or so. What does your schedule look like that day? We’ll have you for any and all! We’re going to need a set-up crew, greeters, ticket checkers, raffle ticket sellers, photographers, art monitors, tweeters, a break-down crew, and a whole lot more. For more info, please visit http://abffesilentauction.wordpress.com/volunteer/. For questions or to volunteer, please contact the auction’s manager, Kristen Gilligan Vlahos at kristen@abffe.org.

ONLINE AUCTION OPEN TO PUBLIC: Please be sure to check out the online auction just prior to BEA with different art. It begins on Saturday, May 18 at 9am and closes on Friday, May 24 at 9pm. It can be found here: http://myworld.ebay.com/abffe. It’s open to the public, so feel free to spread the word. 😉 For more info, please visit the auction’s website.