Beaux Arts Ball moved to March 2022; students of any gender now can participate for top prizes

by David Adam, MRN Editor

QUINCY — The 91st annual Beaux Arts Ball will have two major changes.

The date of the ball is March 26, 2022. The ball, an annual fundraiser for the Quincy Art Center, typically was held around Christmas. A press release from the Quincy Art Center said the date change will allow the students to celebrate safely in person and to “provide a better transition for the changes to the program.”

“We moved it to March just to hopefully be sure that we can gather,” said Jennifer Teter, executive director of the Quincy Art Center. “Gathering safely with so much unknown (about the pandemic), putting a large gathering together is a little difficult. We have families attend with children, and we just want to have the best chance possible to gather.”

The event remains at the Oakley Lindsay Center. The pandemic forced last year’s event, aired by WGEM-TV, to be completed virtually.

Asked if this move was a one-time decision, Teter said, “Well. we’re not sure yet. We’re going to see how this year goes and then assess again.”

The Art Center also is opening participation for the ball’s top prizes to all high school seniors, regardless of gender. The high school senior raising the most money for The Art Center will be the Philanthropic Champion of the Year. The student volunteering the most hours for The Art Center will be the Volunteer Champion of the Year. Scholarships worth $500 will go to both the top fundraiser and top volunteer.

In years past, female high school seniors raised money for the ball through ticket sales. The person selling the most tickets was named the queen of the ball. Male high school seniors participated in the ball as escorts for the queen candidates.

“In 2018, we started our strategic plan that we’re currently in now, and diversity was one of the top priorities for that,” Teter said. “We assessed all of our programs and looked at the diversity inclusion in all of them. Moving to all genders and opening up for everyone to be able to compete was really important for us to align with that priority.”

Beaux Arts Ball participants are still asked to dress up and prepare for a formal event. The participants also will “benefit from the camaraderie formed while planning, volunteering and fundraising for the Beaux Arts program,” according to the press release.

Students in grades 9-12 can participate in workshops to learn the art of philanthropy. Among the topics offered will be the functions of a nonprofit organization, how to fundraise and volunteer and how to dress for success.

The Beaux Arts Program is open to high school teens within a 50-mile radius of Quincy. For more information, visit the Art Center at 1515 Jersey or call at (217) 223-5900.