ATLANTA, May 15, 2024 — More than 1,000 guests participated in the 32nd High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction (March 21-23, 2024), raising over $2.7 million to support the museum’s special exhibitions and educational programs. The 2025 Wine Auction will return to the tents at Atlantic Station March 20-22.
“We say this every year, but I cannot emphasize it enough—we’re so incredibly grateful to those who participated, sponsored and volunteered in support of the High’s mission at this year’s Wine Auction,” said Rand Suffolk, director of the High. “Funds raised directly impact our ability to continue offering the kind of innovative programs and exhibitions that Atlanta needs and deserves from their art museum.”
The 2024 Wine Auction cochairs, Carli Reis and Cathy Rhodes, helped create signature events that celebrated art, wine and friends, including Friday’s Uncorked!, Winemaker Dinners, the Co-Chairs Lunch, silent and live auctions, and the Vintners’ Reception. This year’s Special Guest of Honor was Cristián Vallejo, chief winemaker and cofounder of VIK Wine with Alex and Carrie Vik in Chile.
The live and silent auctions featured 44 lots each, which included dinners with globally recognized chefs, a variety of top-shelf wines and luxurious trips to world-class vineyards across the globe. Funds from these lots, as well as the Dick Denny Paddle Raise, will support arts education programming, the High’s Art Access program and special exhibitions.
The top live auction lot, “Luxury in Burgundy for Six Days and Nights for Three Couples,” raised $95,000. Winning bidders will join Domaine de Cromey proprietors Dennis and Ellie for a week of winery tours, delicious food and inviting views of the French landscape. Donated by Castle & Key Distillery, Burch and Mark Hanson, and Cathy and Scott Rhodes, “An Elite Kentucky Derby Experience” raised $85,000. Winners of this lot will receive a premium interior box at the Turf Club to enjoy the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby in May, as well as lodging, a tour and a tasting at Castle & Key Distillery. Rounding out the top lots was “Superstar Line Up Dinner,” which raised $60,000. Winning couples are invited to Kristie and Charles Abney’s home for a dinner created by Top Chef alumni Kevin Gillespie, Stephanie Izard and Bryan Voltaggio, with wines from Hiyu Wine Farm and Phelan Farm.
The 2024 Wine Auction was made possible with support from Presenting Sponsor Delta Air Lines, Inc. and Grand Cru Sponsor Merrill-Westmoreland Group Private Wealth Management. All other sponsors and benefactors are listed on the Wine Auction page at www.high.org.
High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction
Founded in 1993, the High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction is the largest fundraising event for the High Museum of Art and the number one charity wine auction benefiting the arts. Proceeds generated by the Auction, which have amounted to nearly $40 million over the last 32 years, provide a significant source of funding for the museum’s exhibitions and educational programs. Proceeds help to make possible special exhibitions and partnerships. The Auction also provides funds for dynamic youth education programs, which draw more than 37,000 schoolchildren to the High each year. For more information, visit www.high.org.
About the High Museum of Art
Located in the heart of Atlanta, the High Museum of Art connects with audiences from across the Southeast and around the world through its distinguished collection, dynamic schedule of special exhibitions and engaging community-focused programs. Housed within facilities designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Richard Meier and Renzo Piano, the High features a collection of more than 19,000 works of art, including an extensive anthology of 19th- and 20th-century American fine and decorative arts; major holdings of photography and folk and self-taught work, especially that of artists from the American South; burgeoning collections of modern and contemporary art, including paintings, sculpture, new media and design; a growing collection of African art, with work dating from prehistory through the present; and significant holdings of European paintings and works on paper. The High is dedicated to reflecting the diversity of its communities and offering a variety of exhibitions and educational programs that engage visitors with the world of art, the lives of artists and the creative process. For more information about the High, visit www.high.org.
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Media contacts:
Marci Tate Davis
Manager of Public Relations
marci.davis@high.org
404-733-4585
Brittany Mizell
Public Relations Specialist
brittany.mizell@high.org
404-733-4423