Since May 2, the day of The Autists, I’ve not had a moment’s rest. Pitching new clients, launching a new business and keeping up with demand from existing clients. So a quick postmort.

In sum, a massive success. We sold off virtually everything on auction, both the live and silent versions, at generally strong prices. We had three exceptional musicians — Chaka Khan, Matt Savage and Samantha Mutis — perform for us at what several conductors and musicians have already ranked among the finest concert venues in North America, Koerner Hall. And we raised a considerable sum for Geneva Centre for Autism, the exact amount I do not yet know.

I have big plans for The Autists in future, which I’ll share as they inch toward fruition.

Vast thanks to all those who worked with me, donated product, time and sweat to help our event rock the world. In no particular order they are:

Charles Pachter, for curating like the true master he is, and bringing in all those talents whose work gave our event much added oomph

Albert Schultz, for selling the goods, making us laugh and making it look far too easy

Peter Doig, for donating a fine and valuable work that helped our cause immeasurably

Stan Morantz, for saying yes to all our printing needs faster than it took him to read the list of them

Wallace Edwards, for donating a fabulous work (two actually — long story) without hesitation

Curt Detweiler, for hooking us up from San Fran with a top ad creative team in Toronto to do the outdoor and print campaigns

Jon Freir & Chunky, for producing those ads quickly and tastefully

David Shephard, Dali and Cornelius, for the blog design, ad tweaks and other last-minute favours

Fidel Pena & Claire Dawson, for designing The Autists logo and invitations that set a high and early mark and made a mere idea shine a few million candlepower brighter than it would’ve in lesser hands

Chaka, Matt & Sam, for singing, playing and giving all and remaining at the top of your respective games throughout

John Alcorn, for organizing the music, bringing such consummate pros to back up Chaka, to the extent that she took the time to write and thank us for making the experience unusually rich for her

Hindy Abelson, for believing, acting on it, tapping her people, and watching my back

Holly Bannerman, for watching Hindy’s back, and being a calming presence throughout many typhoons of uncertainty

Katie Wilson, for feeding me much useful info and enabling me to experience more personal organization than I’ve ever known, or may ever know again

Boss Marg Whelan, for saying yea not nay to a loony fundraising event, then being such a class act while attending it

The Koerner Hall-ers, for your professionalism, understanding and endless assistance

The staff at Geneva Centre, for doing what you do and making an absolute difference to the lives of people who really need a difference made

Paul Fenn

Uncle Charlie Creative Inc.

On all counts — funds raised, art auctioned, Autists well served, music played, music heard, venue utterly appreciated, food devoured, booze knocked back, hearts lifted, people helped — The Autists was a smash-bang success.

The Gourmet Reception (aka the eating and champagne bit) was brilliant, everyone nicely ravenous for the irresistible catered morsels cooked up by the masters at Daniel et Daniel. By 6pm, Koerner Hall’s glassed-in lobby was chock-a-block with well-dressed, well-intentioned Torontonians and out-of-towners, all about to be entertained, if we were getting our way, to the outer limits of possibility.

Marg Whelan, Director at Geneva Centre for Autism, made a perfect welcome speech — by turns moving, cheeky and short. On her heels came 19-year-old singer Samantha Mutis, who shared with us how she’d once been a reserved young girl with autism, picked on by lesser minds and made miserable by it all. To see her now, you’d never suspect — she absolutely outclasses all imaginable nemeses. She sang her beautiful, sweet heart out with a fine piano accompaniment. When you meet Sam in the flesh, you’re instantly a fan, you want to witness her career in ascension — a feeling that cannot be helped. To her, there’s an intelligence and grace seldom encountered in your typical 19-year-old.

With Charlie Pachter intro-ing the works and Albert Schultz selling them in his fearless, witticism-flecked manner, this was about the best excitement to be found anywhere in the city that night. Drama, tension and a touch of potential heartbreak — because you’re willing each artist’s work to fetch a solid, flattering price, which alas can’t always happen… but we were pleased at the results. (More on them in upcoming days and weeks.)

Next up, Matt Savage playing insanely tricky jazz numbers on the grand piano like he was walking his dog. And I don’t mean a few cool licks. I’m talking Miles Davis played with a style and an ease that was simply too sophisticated for any kid of just 17 (I believe he’s 18 at this time) to possess. After a few numbers, Matt was joined by Samantha who sang once again in pitch-perfection.

The two of them personified the whole point of the event: That those with autism can achieve the most unlikely heights, given the encouragement, education, patience and love that they need.

By this time I was veering nicely into champagne country, and feeling so proud of what all our people had put together that I could barely concentrate on what was going on in front of me. We took another lobby refreshment break while Chaka Khan & the band got set up.

And Chaka was masterful. Brave, reaching up and taking wild risks, but never stumbling. Her band, all locals, were as tight as a new pair of socks, and Chaka gave them ample moments to shine their own lights with wickedly fine solos. Consummate pros, all.

Five short hours after it began, it was done. Few people departed in the interim, meaning, I’ll venture, that they were having a great time while underwriting this great cause. The trick to holding everyone so rapt seemed to be variety and economy; not too much of anything along with plenty or everything — to keep imaginations fully engaged right to the last.

The amount raised is still being calculated. But whatever it comes to in the end, it will go in aid of Geneva Centre for Autism programs that help those living with autism spectrum disorders.

In coming posts I’ll add pictures, thank our sponsors, artists and volunteers, and everyone else I can think of, who helped this event rock our city.

But for now, collectively, Thank You to all involved.

Paul Fenn

Uncle Charlie Creative Inc.