Spotlight: Appetite for Art

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by Jessie Ammons

photograph by Shaun King

Two things Raleigh does best are art and food. In that spirit, some of the city’s best chefs, brewers, distillers, vintners, and artists will convene at CAM Raleigh this month for Appetite for Art. “You’ll feel like you’re coming to an amazing gallery event,” says co-chair Taylor Meadows. “We just happen to be raising money for the Boys & Girls Clubs’ art programs.”

Raleigh jazz band Sidecar Social Club will perform, and a juried art show will be judged by Leah Goodnight Tyler, who is a supporter of the nonprofit, a member of the CAM board, and the director of marketing at the Umstead Hotel. “Appetite for Art combines two things that I find most important to support,” Tyler says. “Art and education.” She’ll be selecting “visually appealing and creative” pieces to hang with work done by children at area Boys & Girls Clubs. Cuisine by chef Scott Crawford and local beer, wine, and spirits from Top of the Hill Distillery in Chapel Hill will be on tap. A Slingshot-hosted coffee bar will offer not just cups of coffee but also coffee-inspired cocktails.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County create youth development centers that provide after-school, weekend, and summer programs for kids who may not otherwise be able to afford extracurricular activities. “The young men and women I have met in this program have astounded me with their poise, confidence, and kindness,” says Tyler. Appetite for Art will reflect that sophistication. “Raleigh has so many restaurants and so many entrepreneurs taking off,” Meadows says. “We’re in this unique time where we can create an event that will bridge the gap of old Raleigh and new Raleigh.”

Appetite for Art will be at CAM Raleigh, 409 W. Martin St., on April 17 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $50. VIP tickets are $100 and include a cocktail reception at 7 p.m. Visit app4art.org to learn more.