2025 Sawyer Free Library Benefit Art Auction Set for September 19

The Sawyer Free Library invites the community to join them in building a masterpiece at the 2025 Sawyer Free Library Benefit Art Auction on Thursday, September 19, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the picturesque North Shore Arts Association in Gloucester. This art-filled evening featuring refreshments and live music provides a unique opportunity to support the Sawyer Free Library's historic restoration, expansion, and modernization. This special event is free and open to everyone.

Organized by a dedicated host committee that includes Pat Alto, Jan Bell, Rocky Neck Artist Colony CEO Elizabeth Carey, North Shore Arts Association Executive Director Sarah Milton, and Gail Sarofeen, the 2025 Sawyer Free Library Art Auction features over 50 exceptional-quality works, including paintings, drawings, mixed media, and photography, from established and emerging artists throughout the Cape Ann community and beyond. Participating artists generously contribute half or all of the proceeds from their auctioned pieces to the 2025 Sawyer Free Library building project.

The art auction will showcase works from renowned artists such as Jeff Weaver, John Terelak, Robert Gruppé, Coco Berkman, Bonnie Faulkner, Charles Movalli, Jon Sarkin, and many more. Walt Kolenda of Cape Ann Auction will present the live auction, which will begin promptly at 7:15 pm, following the silent auction, which closes at 7:00 pm. Relish Catering will provide refreshments and light bites, while live music will set the perfect ambiance for a night of creativity and philanthropy.

"The Sawyer Free Library is grateful to the talented and generous artists who are contributing to make this fundraiser a great success," said Mern Sibley, President of the Sawyer Free Library Board of Trustees. "Their creative gifts will support our efforts to create a beautiful, welcoming, and modern library space for our community. The 2025 Sawyer Free Library will be a true 21st-century Library, where connections flourish, creativity soars, and knowledge fuels an empowered future for all."

A longstanding cornerstone of the Gloucester community, offering invaluable resources, educational programs, and cultural enrichment for people of all ages, it is currently undergoing a historic expansion and modernization project to become a state-of-the-art facility. This transformation will position the Library as a hub for learning, culture, and community engagement, featuring cutting-edge technology, diverse collections, and engaging and enriching programs.

The newly renovated and expanded Sawyer Free Library, set to open in 2025, will feature an enlarged Matz Gallery with 65 linear feet of wall space dedicated to showcasing the artwork of local artists in rotating exhibits throughout the year. Originally established in 1995 in memory of Adolph I. Matz—an artist and longtime library supporter—the Matz Gallery has grown into a beloved exhibition space that allows local artists to connect with the community. Matz envisioned the Sawyer Free Library as a vital community resource that would offer exhibits, programs, lectures, and other events to enrich Gloucester’s culture and entertain people of all ages.

Reflecting this vision, the 2025 Sawyer Free Library, which began last September, is now halfway completed. With two-thirds of the $29 million fundraising goal already reached, community engagement remains strong but there is still much more to raise, making events like the Art Auction essential to the project’s success.

“The 2025 Sawyer Free Library Benefit Art Auction will be exciting for novice and seasoned collectors alike," said Christine Armstrong of the Sawyer Library Foundation. "In one evening, you can mingle with friends, view works by incredibly talented local artists, and go home with an original piece of art while supporting the 2025 Sawyer Free Library! We hope everyone will join us for this fun, festive, and important event for our community."

The 2025 Sawyer Free Library Art Auction promises to be a beautiful evening, bringing together art lovers, community members, and supporters of the Sawyer Free Library. All auction proceeds will directly benefit the 2025 Sawyer Free Library's Capital Campaign. The event is free and open to all. Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

For more details about the Art Auction and how to invest in the 2025 Sawyer Free Library, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.