Hello Art Lovers, wherever you are! And a special hello to the ones in the Greater Seattle Area, or willing to travel to the Greater Seattle Area in late February! The exhilaration of the Call for Art is behind us. The jury has made their final decisions, and it is time now to look to that special night when we tease you with a sneak peak of the art and activities that made it into SEAF 2023. Theydies and gentlethems, it’s time for the Black Tie Affair.
Sneak Preview
One of the most exciting parts of this evening is the preview of what SEAF 2023 will offer. A slideshow of accepted and invited visual artists will be playing throughout the evening. Jurors and curators will be on hand to share stories about why particular pieces of art were chosen. The Festival Director, Sophia Sky, will reveal exciting details about festival plans. Art Activists have the first opportunity to purchase visual art at the Black Tie Affair. What better way to avoid the disappointment of seeing a red dot on the piece of art you fall in love with?
Art Docents will be on hand to answer questions about art and process sales. All art that is purchased at the Black Tie Affair will be available for pick up at the end of the Festival on Sunday, April 23rd. Art Activists that cannot join us at the Affair will be provided an online gallery to preview the art.
Entertainment
Performances for the evening are curated by our Performance Director, Boom Boom L’Roux. Boom Boom has invited Agatha Angina and Tout D’Lou to grace our stage throughout the evening. Prepare to be delighted with bending, clowning and an aerial act. They are sure to astound and amaze, leaving you breathless for what is to come at the Festival at the end of April.
Nibbles and Desserts
This year’s amuse bouche is sure to delight with an assortment of savory and sweet treats. These delicious treats are perfect for your after-dinner nibbling pleasure. Don’t worry, we always have some gluten-free and vegan options. As much as we love feeding you, we have very carefully crafted the menu to minimize handling.
Libations will be on hand to help wash down your tasty treats, as well as a complimentary mocktail created just for the evening.
Enter the Raffle
Buy raffle tickets for a chance to win baskets filled with sexy goodies from our sponsors, supporters, and donors. Raffle tickets will be on sale for $5 each, or $40 for an inseam or bust measurement in tickets.
This year’s raffle baskets are still being assembled and will feature art from previous festivals, as well as items and treats from donors and some of our wonderful sponsors.
Dress to Impress
Our idea of “black tie” is more risqué than the average cocktail party, so feel free to wear those outfits you don’t normally get to pull out of your closet! For of those of you who enjoy costuming more than formal- or fetish-wear, we invite you to join us by dressing on the theme of “celebration”. Creative interpretation is encouraged. When in doubt, wear what makes you feel fancy or sexy.
The Art Activist Society
As we mentioned earlier, in order to pre-purchase art at the Black Tie Affair, you have to be an Art Activist Society member. So what is the Art Activist Society?
Art Activists are patrons who support the Seattle Erotic Art Festival in its mission to make erotic art acceptable and accessible. The annual membership fees from being an Art Activist are what allow the festival to offer grants to artists, fund art projects and collaborations with other organizations, allow us to keep Sundays at the festival free, and that’s just the start. Art Activists love art. They want to help make it happen. They want to help it reach an audience.
That said, we want to show appreciation to our Activists for what their donations make possible. All Art Activists enjoy VIP tickets to SEAF and an exclusive Art Activist tour with our director, Sophia Sky. Activists also get to attend the Thursday night Artist Reception and Behind the Curtain soft open of the festival. Outside of the festival, Art Activists are also invited to the yearly SEAF Vision meeting, can have their names listed in a special section of our Sponsors page (only if they want to), and of course tickets to the Black Tie Affair.
These are what we offer all Art Activists, though we do have higher membership levels that come with additional perks. For a full break down of every membership level and its corresponding annual dues, please visit our Art Activist Society page.