NEW YORK, NY.- On August 6th, 2010 OptART, a project based philanthropic arts initiative, will host a benefit party and silent auction at the Clemente Soto Valez Community Center’s L.E.S. Gallery, NYC (107 Suffolk Street at Rivington), from 7pm – 12am. Photographs taken by the children of the Visions of Hope Community Center in the Tamil village of Pandiruppu in the eastern province of Ampara, Sri Lanka will be auctioned to raise funds for the Visions of Hope Community Center and Sri Lankan Children’s Trust. Local musicians Sharkey (HUNTER), DutchE.Germ (YEMENWED/GGD/WHITE MAGIC), Josh Kolenik (SMALL BLACK), and producer/engineer Chris Coady will dj. The silent auction will close at 10pm but the event will last until midnight. Come, browse, bid, imbibe, dance and be merry because it's all for a good cause. ($3 suggested donation at door. Cash bar. Auction: Cash or Check Only)

Over a one-month period in 2008, Lindsay Aveilhe, founder of OptART, lived and taught photography to approximately 30 children at the Sri Lanka Children’s Trust's Visions of Hope Community Center. Life has not been easy for the children of Sri Lanka’s eastern provinces. Decades of ethnic violence and continued poverty, alcoholism, and high rates of violence against women and children were only made worse by the 2004 tsunami that completely devastated the region. The death toll in the tiny village of Pandiruppu alone was more than 1,700.

Through sponsorship from Lomography Asia and private donors, the children were provided with Colorsplash and Fisheye cameras and film. The culmination of the month long project is an impressive and intimate collection of images that provide insight into the daily lives of the children in the wake of tragedy. The photographs will be available for early viewing and bidding as of August 3rd.

Sri Lankan Children’s Trust, a local Sri Lankan NGO, was established in 2005 to help improve the health, sanitation, nutrition, education and general well-being of poor and needy children living in remote areas of Sri Lanka. SLCT sponsors The Vision of Hope Community Center’s daily operations. The Visions of Hope Community Center provides approximately 85 children, ages 4-15, with free tutoring programs, daily fresh fruit & milk, and education. Please visit http://navashakti.org/ and http://slctrust.org/ for more information.

OpportunityART (OptART) is a project based philanthropic arts initiative whose reason for being is the belief that there is great opportunity in the arts and that creative expression is an important tool for the revitalization of lives. These projects are not medium specific and can range from exhibitions to product design.
OpportunityART strives to organize projects that are conscious of social or political concerns, whether local or global. Each project will keep in mind a community in need, sponsoring initiatives such as new water purification systems or neighborhood arts projects. Through collaboration and networks established with non-profits around the world, proceeds from sales will go directly to those in need.