On Saturday, June 2, Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts is hosting a glittering evening under a series of extravagantly-decorated tents to benefit student scholarships at the College. The 2012 PopArtsBall, this year titled, “A Night at Warhol’s Factory,” has been re-invented under all-new event and College management and promises once again to be restored as the most exciting night on this year’s Lyme-Old Lyme social calendar. Cocktails, including an open bar and enticing hors d’oeuvres, begin at 6 p.m. accompanied by an extensive silent auction that is renowned for its remarkable and varied selection of high-quality art, as well as its range of unique items and special event packages. Dinner and hors d’oeuvres are being catered by Jonathan Rapp’s River Tavern, the Chester restaurant known for its innovative cooking using quality, farm-fresh ingredients. A live auction of Sixties-themed, large, painted canvases will be held after dinner. The original décor evoking Andy Warhol, his art, “The (New York City-based) Factory,” and Sixties Pop in general, is being created by a talented team led by home-décor doyenne Patricia Spratt and interior designer Lisa Schroeder. An open bar and dancing to music from the sixties and seventies will continue until the wee hours. Sixties-style attire is encouraged though, by no means obligatory. A wonderful range of costume options can be found at Tova’s in Old Saybrook. Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts continues the tradition of fine art in southeastern Connecticut begun by the Lyme Art Colony at the start of the twentieth century. The fully- accredited College provides students with a solid foundation in figurative and representational fine art while preparing them for a lifetime of creative practice in the contemporary world. The College offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degree programs in drawing, illustration, painting, and sculpture and Post-Baccalaureate and three-year Certificate programs. The small student body allows for a more personal education and an intimate artistic community. Founded in 1976 and accredited for the BFA degree in 1996, the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts has not yet had a long history in which to build its endowment, therefore it must look to the community for support, especially with regard to its scholarship funds. More than 90 percent of the College’s degree-seeking receive financial assistance. Corporate sponsors for this year’s event include Essex Financial Services & Savings Bank; Shepherd, Finkelman, Miller & Shah, LLC: Connecticut Light & Power; Essex Meadows Lifecare Retirement Community; The Xerox Foundation; Webster Bank. The College greatly appreciates their generosity and that of numerous additional sponsors who have donated in-kind goods or services, auction items or financial contributions. Contact the College’s Vice-President of Development Fritz Jellinghaus at 860.434.3571 ext 125 to discuss additional sponsorship opportunities. The PopArtsBall, “A Night at Warhol’s Factory” scholarship fundraising gala for the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, will take place on Saturday, June 2, beginning at 6 p.m. on the College’s campus at 84 Lyme Street in Old Lyme, Conn. Tickets for the full evening are $150 per person. A range of additional ticket options is also available. For further information about the event or to purchase tickets, contact Ann de Selding at 860.434.3571, ext. 117, or visit www.lymeacademy.edu. For additional information about the College and its programs, contact Olwen Logan at 860.434.3571, ext. 135 or email her at [email protected]