The Autists 2012 is a go

We have a new location, a confirmed date and a spanking new sponsorship package.

The party, while still under construction, is to be something of a departure from last year’s bash.

We’ve out-grown Koerner Hall, and while we’ll miss that fantastic venue, our new one, the new Corus Centre at Sugar Beach on Lakeshore, is equally spectacular. It’s ultra-sleek and spacious enough to handle what we have in the pipeline for our party on Thursday May 24, 2012.

This year’s theme is Casino Carnivale, among others

We are still working through many details, but expect plenty of wicked gambling options, great food, creative drinking opportunities and a variety of sensuous side shows (more on that when I know) and entertaining distractions.

Art meets autism once again

Of course we’ll be holding both an art auction and silent auction, featuring mindblowing works from those with autism as well as celebrated artists, as yet to be confirmed. Stand by for more on the auctions in the coming weeks.

What’s The Autists, anyway?

It’s the annual fundraiser soiree, now in its third year, for Toronto’s Geneva Centre for Autism, which provides much needed services to kids and families touched by an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The was started in 2010 by freelance ad copywriter Paul Fenn (yours truly) and Geneva Centre for Autism. Proceeds go to programs geared to helping kids and adults learn skills and approaches to successful community living, career development and living skills.

Our sponsorship package is ready — download it here

Autists2012_sponsorship_pckg_jan24

If you’d like to speak with us about sponsorship options, please contact:

Ms Hindy Abelson, Director of Development
T: (416) 322-7877 ext:307
email: habelson@autism.net

Tickets For The Autists will be available soon at theautistsgala.com

Paul Fenn

The numbers are in…

The net take for this year’s event was: $74,245.21.

This figure is less than hoped for, but is still pretty darn satisfactory from the viewpoint of those of us behind the cause and this shindig.

We had a few things leaning against us this year. One was no Peter Doig-equivalent work to auction. Secondly, the sheer number of art auctions in Toronto over the last year — combined with a limited number of serious and wealthy art collectors in our town — has resulted in an acute case of city-wide ‘art auction fatigue’.

Nevertheless, we are already planning next year’s event — with wide-open minds. Expect some changes in strategy and, quite likely, venue.

I’ll write in from time to time, but for the next few weeks TheAutists.com is officially on summer break.

Meanwhile, here are some photos to give you a sense of it all

A massive thank-you

All the best for a great summer, and a huge, huge thank-you to all our sponsors, volunteers, artists and, of course, our Autists for helping to make this year another success.

Paul Fenn

Like many of you, I’ve been awaiting the numbers from Geneva Centre on what was raised at our big event.

It was a success — which is about all I can tell you right now. I haven’t been given the final figure on funds raised as yet.

Shouldn’t be much longer. Will keep you posted.

Paul Fenn

Just over 24 hours before the big night and I’m very, very happy to report that The Autists 2011 is a completely sold out event. As of the morning of Friday May 13, not one ticket remained.

If you have no ticket, but want to bid at our live art auction, call us now

But fear not, dear collector, for unlike last year when a ticket equaled a seat, this year we can squeeze in more art bidders — even if they lack tickets, because there’s no assigned seating for the live art auction. So if you’d like to attend the auction, please contact Hindy Abelson at 416-322-7877 ext. 307. She’ll see that you’re well looked after.

All eyes turn to Stephen Ranger’s hammer

Thanks to all our sponsors, volunteers and spreaders of the word — your job is done and was done exceedingly well. Now we must wait with breath held to see what funding for Geneva Centre our art auction will generate. Considering we have Canada’s most highly regarded art auctioneer, Mr. Stephen Ranger, taking your bids, expect to witness much fierce and impassioned bidding over the 30 or so gorgeous works of art on auction tomorrow evening.

Doors open at 5:30 pm. Live art auction starts at 7:00 pm. Koerner Hall Auditorium. I look forward to raising a few  glasses with you all.

Paul Fenn

Great news for those who’ll be out of town during the event but want to bid on works at our Live Auction…

Phone Bidding!

To register, please email Ms Hindy Abelson at habelson[at]autism.net or call her at 416.322.7877 ext. 307. Fee is $100. Once registered, you’ll be given a number to call to participate in the auction.

The Autists 2011 Live Auction starts Tues May 17 at 7:00 p.m.

We ask that all phone bidders call the number they’ve been given at around 6:30pm to confirm participation.

Bad news: Canada Post has sent some of your reply cards to the wrong PO box, where they got lost or, at best, came to us late. If you have replied by mail to our invitation, or were planning on coming to the bash and haven’t ordered your tix yet, please visit the main site, theautistsgala.com, or call Hindy Abelson at 416-322-7877 ext. 307 with credit card in hand. She will sort you out with grace and humour.

Our apologies for any inconvenience caused!

Paul Fenn

We are officially all over the place. Having attracted such a fabulous range of media sponsorship for our fundraiser from many generous companies — including Messenger Experience Designers, Andora Graphics, Astral Media Outdoor, CBS, The Globe and Mail, The Star and The National Post — our ad campaign has begun in earnest.

Selling the best party of the year

The ads were designed by Laura Wills of Messenger and written by me. Our aim is to make The Autists look like the class act party of the year where you’ll see — and buy — great art, have a few drinks, eat divinely, be entertained by great music acts and then go home saying, “Wow, that party utterly rocked — and it was for a great cause.”

The outdoor ad reads pretty straight and safe.

The press campaign, on the other hand, gets a wee bit cheekier.

(But I can’t show it to you yet, due to some last minute changes we had to make. I hope to have the ads up here by tomorrow.)

This is The Autists in home stretch mode

Tickets are already selling well and lots of tremendous art has poured into our live and silent auctions, which I will detail with photos and info in a future posting or two. Now comes the final big task of getting Toronto’s, New York’s and London’s top art collectors and gallerists to come, to phone bid and to drive up interest in our May 17th gala.

It’s finally starting to look like The Autists will definitely be a wicked night out — here’s hoping it’s also a powerful fundraiser.

Paul Fenn

I am once again thrilled to smithereens to announce two additional corporate sponsors for The Autists.

Gowlings in for $5,000

Toronto law firm Gowlings has joined The Autists, stepping in with a $5,000 Gold Sponsorship. This marks their first sponsorship of our event.

Brandes back for seconds

And investment house Brandes Investment Partners, also of Toronto, has come forward with a $2,000 Silver Sponsorship for our event, their second year with us.

We thank both organizations for their generosity and look forward to clinking glasses with some their people at the big bash on May 17.

Paul Fenn

Our little event received a very healthy injection of funding with the announcement that Toronto-based gold mining corporation IAMGOLD has come forth with a $20,000 contribution.

This represents the highest single corporate donation The Autists has received in its short lifetime (our first event was May 2, 2010).

What IAMGOLD means to The Autists

We’re taking it as a rather large show of faith in our event and how it enriches the level of care Geneva Centre for Autism can dispense to children, youth and adults with autism. But it’s also a big vote of approval that our art auction is becoming an influential force both here at home in T.O. and in art capitals like New York City, from where several pieces art donated to The Autists have originated.

Massive thanks to IAMGOLD

So, from all of us on the Gala Organizing Committee, to the folks at IAMGOLD who took this decision, an extra large, solid gold thank you. We look forward to making this well worth your while.

I have had the joy and privilege of collaborating with Laura Wills of messenger (well known to operate comfortably in the lower case) for around four years on jobs of a disparate nature. So I knew her company’s work was always pinnacle-dwelling and that she was an utter pro, but also bloody good fun to work with. She’s never yelled, thrown anything or called me names in public. She’s even bought me lunch a few times — me, the supplier.

Some delicious, rip-snortin' messenger work

What a class act

And that opinion was proven correct when I asked Laura if she’d like to join us at The Autists and help us produce some top work in both the design realm, in which she swims daily, and on the advertising side of life, which she is also familiar with, and where I tend to wander. She jumped aboard without so much as a question on how much we’d ask of her and her staff. Foolish girl.

Let the designing unfold

Well, we of The Autists are all as stoked as a coal steamer heading out of port to have Laura with us and can’t wait to see what finery emanates from her ruthlessly engaged imagination.

Vintage messenger eye-pleasures

The messenger website is fully worth a look. Laura and her people have produced award-sweeping works for esteemed and demanding clients such as Butterfield & Robinson, Southbrook Vineyards and Volvic, as well as a terrific swathe of respected arts organizations, film companies and so on.

What else to add but this: We are flattered and happy to have you with us, Laura.

Paul Fenn