Auction fundraiser makes more than £10,000 for Birmingham Hippodrome’s work with young people
An auction of contemporary artwork by a Birmingham based artist has raised £10,000.
The event took place at The Grand Hotel Birmingham and auctioned artworks were by contemporary artist Charles Pedone.
Funds raised from the auction, which was run by Lichfield auctioneer Richard Winterton, will directly support Birmingham Hippodrome’s Youth Programme.
Celebrating their 125th anniversary year, the theatre and independent charity has set out an ambitious commitment to providing exceptional arts experiences and opportunities across theatre and dance for young people from underserved communities in Birmingham and the Black Country as part of its five-year strategic plan.
Under the hammer were pieces including ‘Harmony’, which has been on display since January in the Madeleine bar at The Grand, and another named ‘Black Space’ — the chance for a bespoke commission by the artist.
Johan Scheepers, General Manager of The Grand Hotel Birmingham, said: “We’re delighted that this initiative has raised such a fantastic sum for the important work the Hippodrome does within our community. We’re equally pleased to say that some of Charles' pieces, which have been specially commissioned for The Grand, will remain on display at the hotel as an extension of our collection of contemporary art by Birmingham and West Midlands based creatives. We’d love to invite our local community to book a table in Madeleine and enjoy what we have on display.”
Charles added: “It’s a privilege to use my creativity to support the Hippodrome’s inspiring work, and whilst it’s always nerve-wracking to go to auction, it’s a brilliant way to raise funds, so I’m very pleased we’ve achieved such a fantastic result.”
Judith Greenburgh, Head of Fundraising & Development at Birmingham Hippodrome, added: “We’re grateful to all those who helped make this event a success — it’s been a fantastic team effort that has achieved such a brilliant sum that will go directly to providing more underserved communities in Birmingham and the Black Country with access to theatre and dance experiences.”
