The 2009 documentary Vanishing of the Bees, which details the mysterious disappearance of honeybees across the planet, inspired Artists for Humanity’s "Greatest Party on Earth" Saturday night at the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter.
The Earth Day celebration-cum-benefit had the dual goal of highlighting an environmental cause and raising money for the nonprofit's Youth Enterprise Program, which grooms under-served youth to find paid employment in the arts. The annual fete hosted 450 guests and raked in $155,000.
When dreaming up a theme for the event, Elements Event Design and Production owner Shane Hassey perceived a likeness between cross-pollinating bees and young artists collaborating on innovative works of art. He said the goal was to "raise awareness about the importance of bees and how vital they are to our ecosystem … but also celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit and creative ingenuity of Boston's teens."
For a $250 donation, benefactors could attend a pre-event V.I.P. reception to preview and purchase student art. The work was displayed in a temporary gallery on the third floor, where many of the 150 artworks had a bumblebee theme. Student-run art stations were set up throughout the studio, and placards with the young artists' success stories were placed on large, paint-splashed easels.
More bees showed up in elaborately decorated serving pieces, where sculptures of the winged creatures rested alongside offerings such as chicken and waffles with acacia honey and honey-seared scallops. The evening’s specialty drink, called the Bee’s Knees, was a mix of gin, honey syrup, and lemon juice.
The theme carried over to whimsical fund-raising techniques. A display of a partially filled-in honeycomb advertised a $167,000 fund-raising goal for a program that sponsors summer jobs, and a written plea urged guests to pledge donations to help "fill the honeycomb." In an area dubbed the “Buy Art Store,” items for purchase ranged from $12 bee and daisy stickers to $1,500 tables with arty decorations like colorful bits of shredded paper.
The $150 general-admission tickets let patrons take part in an energetic celebration on the first floor. Large decals decked the walls with bees and daisies, flower-and-insect-shaped lights swirled across the room, and honeycomb decals clung to the open bars. On the walls behind the bartenders, tangerine and yellow signage called out bee-related fun facts.
Entertainment included aerial and hoop artists from the Boston Circus Guild and performances by the Brazilian syncopated-rhythm dance crew Samba Viva. The funk and disco band Booty Vortex kept the dance floor filled until evening’s end, when guests snacked on chocolate-covered strawberries, gourmet Oreos, and chocolate mousse tartlets.
