The 2nd annual Chair Affair will showcase the designs of 35 prominent Toronto artists and designers who will donate their talents and their time to create a unique and extraordinary work of art with ordinary chairs from the Furniture Bank warehouse. These unique creations will be open for bids in a silent auction with the top designs selected for live auction.

Last year, with 31 artist participants and 375 guest attendance we were able to raised over $ 64,000 and this year, our goal is
to raise $100,000.

Chair Affair is proud to be the signature event
supporting Furniture Bank.

Open Call InvitationLandfillsFurniture Bank diverted more than 1,200 metric tones of solid waste from landfills in2010
Toronto artists and designers are invited to participate in this special evening that will bring together the arts, businesses and the community while supporting a worthwhile cause.

Artists are encouraged to design, paint, build or make over a chair of any type from pre-selected chairs from the Furniture Bank warehouse. Paint it, bead it, feather it, reupholster it, or build on to it – be bold, be innovative, have fun!

Proceeds Benefit The Furniture Bank Home Creation Program
Since 1998, Furniture Bank has been helping families by collecting and distributing donated furniture and household items to women and children escaping violence, refugees and the homeless. In 2010, Furniture Bank served 2,527 families, impacting more than 5,000 people. In addition, this service also preserves the environment by recycling and repurposing items that would otherwise go to landfills.

Judging
Entries will be judged by an independent committee of design experts on the week of& August 22nd. Judging criteria will include creative use of color and materials, the use of non-conventional materials, visual & artistic appeal, originality, functionality and finished quality. The artwork/design must be original, unpublished and un-exhibited elsewhere, and it must be accompanied by a short artist biography / design inspiration, for inclusion in our program and web site (75 words or less).

The top designs selected will be entered into the live auction. The remaining chairs will be showcased in a silent auction format.

Internet Exhibition
All entries will be photographed and exhibited on The Chair Affair website by Labour Day. www.furniturebank.org/chairaffair.

Eligibility
The Chair Affair is open to all artists and designers, working in the industry. There are a limited number of available spots and artists are encouraged to submit applications early. Once spots are filled, other interested artists will be placed on a priority list for the following year’s event.

Restrictions
All art is limited to seating pieces of furniture.

Deadlines
Applications must be received via fax, mail or e-mail by May 1st, 2011.

Our chair selection event will be held in May 2011 (TBA). At that time you can select your chair from donated seating pieces in the Furniture Bank warehouse.

Completed chairs should be delivered to Furniture Bank on August 15th, 2011. Where possible, please deliver chair with packaging that can be reused by the purchaser to transport the piece.

Artist Attendance at Event
All participating artists will be recognized during the program and are expected to attend the event. Participating artists will receive 3 tickets (one for artist and two for guests). Artists are further expected to promote the event with a minimum sale commitment of 5 tickets. Marketing materials and web copy will be provided upon request.

Entry Fee
The entry fee is $200 and the artist must donate their chair to Furniture Bank to be included in the live or silent auction on September 22nd, 2011. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. It is understood that the artist retains all copyrights and reproduction rights to their works. Furniture Bank is a registered charity in the province of Ontario under registration # 87253 1843 RR0001.