Welcome and thank you for making history with the Catalina Island Museum as we embark on our first ever virtual Exhibition Premiere and Museum Benefit! Our plan to have you with us on Catalina Island for a celebratory evening of fundraising accompanied by an exclusive first look at the highly anticipated Titanic exhibition hit an…obstacle.
Our will, however, to keep Catalina Island Museum on the forefront of our community’s needs is unyielding. This year’s fundraising goal of $450,000 is a big one. Why? While keeping our visitors, community and staff safe during the last 6 months of mandated closure, we have seen $250,000 in revenue disappear. Nevertheless, our staff has wholeheartedly embraced new ways of staying connected with educational and inspirational content* and in doing so has nearly doubled our audience reach across North America and the world.
Now we are counting on you to be here for us by becoming a sponsor, making a donation, bidding at our silent, live and fund-a-need auctions or, by simply signing up and watching our FREE program which will stream on October 17th via YouTube. We will be joined by special guests, reveal a first ever assemblage of Titanic artifacts and get carried away with excitement as Captain of Ceremonies and Celebrity Auctioneer Matt Rogers guides us through a fast, fun and successful evening designed to provide the museum with critical funds to continue our mission to preserve, exhibit and promote Catalina Island through exceptional experiences for the Avalon community and beyond. If you should need any help navigating this new virtual experience, please do not hesitate to call upon us.
In a time when there are so many distractions, our focus is crystal clear: keeping you inspired.
Thank you for your support,
Julie Perlin Lee
Executive Director
*During closure CIM has re-adapted its Catalina Ambassadors program to fit student needs; designed the Avalon Art Academy offering free student enrichment (beginning October 2020); projected the Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray exhibition outdoors nightly; distributed free PPP equipment and made wellness calls to our members; digitized hours of Catalina oral histories to share; provided free Art-to-Go supplies and projects for Avalon families; launched CIM Sessions, a weekly streaming show on all things Catalina; partnered with museums for compelling virtual programming; shared collections and historic films at nearly quadruple the pace; stirred up weekly themed cocktails and history lessons; designed gift packages for patrons separated from loved ones; experimented in a virtual public art performance with artist Elizabeth Turk; created a virtual all-ages field trip and lesson plan website (forthcoming February 2021); advocated for the safe reopening for CIM and all California museums; and kept our chins up knowing that our creativity and care for each other will see all of us through to better times.
