Hunter Underground woos new patrons with a nightclub in the basement

Hunter Museum guests can party in the basement Saturday, March 4, as Avant-art presents its premier annual fundraiser, Hunter Underground.

Avant-art is the museum’s young patron group whose mission is to cultivate the next generation of patrons, artists and collectors through unique and fun experiences that make the museum more accessible.

This is the 11th year for Hunter Underground, which converts the basement from a maze of art storage to a nightclub with music, entertainment and art. The evening features creative cocktails, small bites by Events With Taste, a performance by Chattanooga Ballet and DJ Pip’s “Hits and Misses.”

The crux of the event is a silent auction, tailored to veteran and young collectors alike. Event planners work with new galleries and dealers to broaden the selection of artwork every year at a wide range of price points.

“The goal of Underground is not just to raise much- needed revenue for the Hunter but also to expose those in attendance — some who are coming to the museum for the first time — to the joy of collecting a piece of art,” says a news release from organizers.

This year’s silent auction will feature works by local artists Scott Hill, Tracy Sharp and others from Chattanooga galleries, as well as regional artists represented by galleries in Asheville, N.C., including Blue Spiral and Riverside Studios.

The evening also includes the popular Smash & Grab Gallery. Winning ticketholders have 30 seconds to enter the Smash & Grab Gallery to grab a work of art to add to their personal collections. This year’s Smash & Grab Gallery includes more than 30 works donated by artists including George Dawnay, Carylon Killebrew, Mark Bradley Shoup, Lisa Norris and Cessna Decosimo.

A Hunter Underground preview party has been added this year for Avant-art members. It includes a champagne toast and the first two Smash & Grab Gallery drawings of the night.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS Artworks run the gamut in Hunter Underground’s silent auction. Among the myriad choices are a 4- by 4-inch ceramic pig by Karen Fincannon, left, and an acrylic on canvas by EJ Kellerman.