Best of Show Silent Auction Committee

The Best of Show Silent Auction Committee solicits art from the prior year’s Fair award-winning artists and then plans, stages, and oversees the Silent Auction on Best of Show evening. This group also coordinates with Museum Institutional Advancement for possible estate items gifted to the Museum for inclusion in the Auction.

The Silent Auction Chair is appointed by the Fair Chair and Treasurer. The Chair recruits about 30-40 volunteers to assist in the staging and operation of the Silent Auction.

The Chair:

  • Reports progress and problems to Fair Chair.
  • Attends all Fair Committee Chair meetings.
  • Prepares and submits a line item budget to the Fair Chair.
  • Coordinates with Fair Chair and Staging Chair to understand and accommodate any changes for the upcoming Fair.
  • Invites the Fair Chair to strategic committee meetings including wrap-up and initial planning meetings.
  • Recruits, schedules and trains volunteers.
  • Submits the list of volunteers to the Volunteer Placement Chair for badges to be made.
  • Acknowledges by thank you note, or other means, appreciation for the work done by volunteers working on this committee.
  • Submits vendor invoices to the Guild Treasurer for payment.
  • Submits vouchers with receipts to the Guild Treasurer for reimbursement of Committee expenses.
  • At the end of the year, reviews the committee job description posted on the Guild website and in the Committee Notebook. They should both be the same. Updates and sends it to the Fair Chair who will review and forward it to the President Elect and to webmaster@heardguild.org.
  • Attends the Wrap-Up Meeting after the Fair. At least a week prior to the meeting, emails the Committee Report to the Fair Chair. The sections of the report are: Committee Purpose, What Worked Well, What Needs Improvement, Recommendations for Improvement. Appropriate attachments would be sales spreadsheets, tallies, and other information that would be useful for decision making. One report is given to the Fair Chair and the duplicate is kept in the Committee Notebook. The report is the basis for the individual Committee planning meetings for the following year.

Tasks

  • Consult with the Fair Chair, Staging Chair, and Signage Chair about set up requirements, changing booth locations, and signage needs. Consults will all other Chairs as needed to ensure the success of the Committee and Fair.
  • Recruit and train about 40 volunteers to serve as guards and/or to tally the bid sheets.
  • Write a flyer to artist who won awards at the prior year’s Fair and request a donation. The flyer is to be included in the September Artists Exhibitors contract mailing.
  • Make follow-ups calls to artists who have not responded.
  • Receive donated items and maintain a list of donors and their donations.
  • Send letter to remind artists to send their pledged artwork to the Museum by the designated deadline date.
  • Arrange with the Museum’s Chief of Security to have the donated items received, stored, and secured.
  • Prepare a list of contributors to be included in the Fair Program and other brochures as requested by the Fair Chair and Marketing Department.
  • Plan and order the room set up for Silent Auction with the Museum’s Catering Coordinator –tables, table arrangements, tablecloths, phones, podium, lighting, microphone, and cashier hook ups.
  • Have bid sheets and silent auction purchase sheets printed if not enough in stock.
  • Give copy of volunteer list to the Volunteer Placement Chair so badges can be made.
  •  Work with Guild Treasurer who will help set up and recruit cashiers.
  • Arrange the final set up for the Silent Auction – have tables, cloths, and lifts delivered; arrange tables; display art work; set up for cashiers; set up for packing.
  • Visit artists individually the day after the Silent Auction, thank them, and give them a card to display at their booth showing they donated to the Silent Auction.
  • Send thank you letters to each artist telling them their gift is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Time Line

March/April/May

  • Begin recruiting and continue through the beginning of February.
  • Begin planning for the next Fair. Invite the Fair Chair.

July

  • Prepare and submit a budget to the Fair Chair.

September

  • Obtain list of artists who won awards at the prior Fair.
  • Prepare letters asking for a donation from these artists for inclusion in the September Artist Exhibitors contract mailing. Enclose donation form.
  • Discuss the inclusion of items gifted to the Museum for inclusion in Silent Auction with the Fair Chair and Director Institutional Advancement.

October/November

  • Attend Fair Committee Chair meeting.
  • Consult with the Fair Chair, Staging Chair, and Signage Chair about set up requirements, booth location and signage needs. Consult will all other Chairs as needed to ensure the success of the Committee and Fair.
  • Recruit volunteers–most come from calling those who volunteered the previous year.
  • Coordinate with Volunteer Placement Chair to recruit at Job Fair usually at October Guild meeting.
  • Call donating artists who have not returned their forms.

January/February

  • Confirm with the Fair Chair, Staging Chair, and Signage Chair about set up, booth, and signage needs. Confirm will all other Chairs as needed to ensure the success of the Committee and Fair.
  • Confirm Museum’s commitment to include items gifted to the Museum in the Silent Action. Select and photograph a few items for promotional purposes.
  • Confirm volunteers’ commitment and duties and verify their schedules.
  • Send letter reminding artists to send their work by designated deadline. Make follow up calls if necessary.
  • Alert Security Chief about incoming artwork.
  • Order the set-up for the silent auction.
  • Make the thank you cards for the artists’ booths.
  • Purchase supplies.

Best of Show week

  • Make final selection of items gifted to the Museum and arrange for their transportation. Immediately take photographs of these pieces and send to Fair Chair so they can be posted on the Fair web pages.
  • Send a list of artists who have not brought in their work to Juried Comp Chair.
  • Make copies of “Procedure poster” to be posted in Monte Vista.
  • Receive art starting Thursday morning.
  •  Send final list of donating artists to Marketing Department for inclusion in Best of Show program. Arrange the deadline with Marketing.
  •  Double check names of donating artists on back of Best of Show program.
  •  Arrange for delivery of items for final set up.
  •  Meet with volunteers the night of Silent Auction to explain the procedures and their duties.
  • Set up room prior to the Silent Auction and clean out room at the end of the evening.
  • Oversee the admissions process during the Fair.

March/April

  • Submit vendor invoices and expense vouchers to the Guild Treasurer if not already done so.
  • Acknowledge the work done by the volunteers.
  • Meet with Committee to debrief. Invite the Fair Chair and next year’s Committee Chair if there is a new Chair.
  • Write the Committee report (see Chair section above)
  • Review the job description (see Chair section above).
  • Attend the Fair Committee Chair Wrap-Up Meeting.
  • If not continuing as Chair, ensure a smooth transition to the new Committee Chair.

7/20/14