Online Auction to Benefit Bankhead Theater and Bothwell Arts Center

LIVERMORE, CA – (October 28, 2015) – The Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center will  partner with Kakadu Art & Design in Wood, an Israeli maker of unique wooden furniture and accessories, to launch its first online auction in November. All proceeds from the auction, which includes items ideal for gift giving and events around the holiday season, will benefit the Bankhead Theater and Bothwell Arts Center. The website for the online-only auction will be www.kakadu-design.com/lvpac-auction/ and will go live on the evening of Sunday, November 1, 2015 and run through the evening of Sunday, November 8, 2015.

A broad range of items designed to appeal to different interests will be included in the online auction catalog. In addition to several of Kakadu’s hand-painted wooden home decor accessories, auction items will include such exciting entertainment opportunities as a suite for 10 people at the SAP Center in San Jose to see country superstar Garth Brooks in concert on November 14th, or a set of four of the best seats in the house for the sold-out performance by sensational Portland-based swing band, Pink Martini, at the Bankhead Theater on December 7th. Other items include custom treatment packages from the Silhouette Med Spa near Ruby Hill Golf Club, and signed posters from recent Bankhead performers such as Blue Sky Riders, The Tubes, Rosanne Cash and Roger McGuinn.

When it launches on November 1, 2015, the Kakadu/LVPAC auction website will list all available items, noting the minimum required bid. Individuals interested in bidding will be asked to register on the site with name and email and can then enter either a single bid or set a maximum amount to which the system can raise the bid against competitive bids. If desired, bidders can receive an email notifying them if they have been outbid. Winners will be determined after the close of the auction on November 8th. During the auction week, direct, non-bid donations can also be made to LVPAC through the website. To be notified via e-mail when the auction starts, send an e-mail to development@lvpac.org .

David Jonas of Kakadu, who also serves as president of the Livermore Valley Education Foundation, is pleased to be collaborating with LVPAC for the online auction. As he says, “My family loves the arts and the Bankhead Theater. We have supported it since it opened and know they depend on outside funding to keep it running.” The Kakadu website has held online auctions for other local non-profit arts groups in the past and finds it to be an excellent opportunity to help leverage the company’s fundraising platform for a good cause. Jonas says the company is donating the Kakadu pieces for the auction, and he has solicited items from others for the event as well. LVPAC Development Director Chris Carter sees tremendous value in working with Kakadu on this project. “It’s important to build strong relationships between all types of arts-oriented groups in the community since we serve the same audience and share similar goals and values,” said Carter.

Kakadu’s unusual home furnishings, accessories and art, stand out for their whimsical shapes and colorful patterns. Each environmentally-friendly piece, from coasters and vases, to tables and wall hangings, is handcrafted by artisans in wood and designed to be both functional and artistically pleasing. Made in Israel, Kakadu unique pieces are sold worldwide and have been installed in numerous locations, including the luxurious Swan and Dolphin resort hotel in Walt Disney World. For more information visit www.kakadu-designs.com .

The Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center provides wide-ranging programs that give access to the arts for the Tri-Valley community and beyond. LVPAC Presents offers a diverse variety of exceptional music, dance and theatrical performances at the Bankhead Theater each year. The Bankhead Theater and the Bothwell Arts Center are home to nine resident performing arts companies and over 40 studio artists and cultural arts instructors. Between them, they have offered more than 500 public activities each year, from classes and workshops, to concerts, festivals and performances, as well as ArtWalk and extensive educational arts outreach. A list of upcoming performances at the Bankhead Theater, as well as activities scheduled at the Bothwell Arts Center, is available online at www.lvpac.org or via the LVPAC mobile app.