NEW YORK.- Christie’s New York will hold a gala benefit for the Center for Arts Education (CAE), a premiere public/private partnership founded to restore, stimulate and sustain quality arts programs in the New York City public schools on Monday April 11, 2005. The event will showcase public school students from all three grade levels who have benefited from the arts education programs funded by the Center.

A student musical group will play during the cocktail hour; and student artists will be present to show their works displayed throughout the cocktail and dinner areas. The art was curated by students.

A special team of 10 and 11-year old ballroom dancers from PS 144 in Queens will perform, having learned their skills during their school’s arts partnership with the American Ballroom Theatre. In addition, a student from the Career Development Program will display skills as an auctioneer, having interned at Christie’s auction school.

Since its founding in 1996, the CAE, led by Laurie Tisch, has awarded more than $34.5 million in private and public funding to support arts education, as well as partnerships and programs in the New York City public schools. It funds partnerships between schools and arts organizations; supports a Parents as Arts Partners program, as well as a career development program which places NYC high school students in executive departments of arts and related businesses and non profit organizations. CAE has joined over 275 public schools with more than 200 cultural and community-based organization college and universities in New York City.