Added: July 21, 2006, 9:45 am

Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation's 7th Annual Art for Life East Hampton Gala

By Saturday, July 29th in East Hampton

Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons and the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation announced today the seventh annual ART FOR LIFE East Hampton benefit entitled "Seventh Heaven" to be held at the Simmons' estate on Saturday, July 29, 2006.

Hosted by Kimora Lee Simmons, ART FOR LIFE East Hampton is Rush Philanthropic's key annual fundraising effort to help thousands of children acquire the skills needed to build a successful life. More than 750 leaders from the entertainment, arts, business, and philanthropic communities attend the event each year, which is highlighted by live and silent auctions. The event has sold out each year, and last year's gala alone raised $1.35 million to provide direct funding to more than 50 youth arts organizations in New York City.

Donna Karan will be honored for her creativity in fashion and her fundraising work to find the cure for ovarian cancer. Activists and Academy Award®-winners Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins will be feted for their artistic efforts and activism serving the community. Raymond J. McGuire, Citigroup's co-head of global investment banking and vice-chair of the Whitney Museum Board, will be honored for his dedication to and support of the arts.

"I know firsthand that art has the power to transform lives," said Russell Simmons. "There is no doubt that art, poetry and music empower young people and teach them to value their own voices and respect those of others."

"Every year, Art for Life gets bigger and better and this year is no exception. We are proud to honor these amazing individuals who continuously lend their support to charity and the arts, which allows us to reach so many in need," said Kimora Lee Simmons.

This year's platinum sponsors are Target and longtime supporter Motorola. Anheuser-Busch is the event's silver sponsor.

Shaun Robinson, Access Hollywood weekend co-host, correspondent and TV One Access host, will be this year's auctioneer. The event co-chairs are Shahara Ahmad-Llewellyn and Haley and Jason Binn. Art auction chairs are Carmen Hammons, Danny Simmons and Simon Watson. Luxury auction chairs are Tybie Etoy Dotson, Angella Forbes and Patty Findlay.

True to the organization's mission, the auction will feature the artwork of visual artist Kehinde Wiley, whose first public art show was at a Rush Arts Gallery. Wiley is a New York based painter from Los Angeles who has situated himself firmly within art history's tradition of portrait painting in his representations of young, urban, black men.

Kimora Lee Simmons and last year's host Mos Def at
the 2004 Art for Life benefit.

As this year's featured artist, Wiley has graciously agreed to create an original limited edition work expressly for this year's benefit. "Much of my painting originates from preparatory drawings," he said. "These drawings are the aesthetic foundation of the large scale paintings. The drawing I've created for ART FOR LIFE is an interpretation of a Copley painting entitled Madame Pieter van Bleiswijk, featuring one of the Rush Kids as the model." This year, $25,000 Platinum Easel table patrons will each receive a signed print of the Kehinde Wiley drawing.

A highlight of this year's live auction will be a week-long "Magical Mustique" travel package consisting of a four-night stay at the island's exclusive Toucan Hill mountaintop villa, a two-night stay at Cotton House, dinners, spa treatments, Louis Vuitton luggage, and his and hers white Mare titanium dive watches customized with diamonds from Italian jeweler Locman.

Sutka Productions International (www.sutka.com), in conjunction with Rush Philanthropic, is designing the "Seventh Heaven" visual theme to symbolize the charity's seventh annual summer event. "We're creating a mood, an ambience, and memories that represent the artists who eventually will transform their dreams into reality through the Rush programs," says Bruce Sutka, founder and president of Sutka Productions. Numerous hues of blue will be used throughout; in tablecloths, centerpieces, lighting and even performers, such as mermaids lounging poolside and angels serving guests, all of which will bring the concept to life.

Funds raised through Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation will provide support for many projects throughout the year dedicated to reaching out to New York City youth through the arts. Each year three youth groups are selected to benefit from ART FOR LIFE. This year's groups are African Poetry Theatre, Ballet Hispanico, and Children's PressLine. These are programs to which Rush Philanthropic provides grants throughout the year. Group leaders and youth are invited to attend and actively participate in the evening's program. Funds raised through ART FOR LIFE will also provide vital support for Rush Philanthropic's own signature education programs, including Rush Kids, Rush Gallery in the School and D-Stress: For Incarcerated and Recently Incarcerated Youth. Rush Kids is a year-round Saturday morning education program that brings children from across New
York City into its gallery spaces to participate in an intensive Saturday morning visual arts program. Students discuss contemporary art, design and media, learn about different mediums and create artwork. Funds raised will also support Rush Arts Gallery and Resource Center's exhibitions and programs focused on the works of emerging artists of color.

Alicia Keys and Russell Simmons at the 2004 Art for
Life beneift.

Since its inception, Rush has provided grants to dozens of non-profit organizations, including New York Scores, Urban Word, Free Arts NYC, Peter Westbrook Foundation, Boys & Girls Harbor, Harlem School of the Arts, Streb, Friends of Island Academy, Working Playground, Brooklyn Steppers Marching Band, Brotherhood/Sister Sol, The Ghetto Film School, the Northside Center for Child Development, and has served countless visual artists through the exhibitions and activities of the Rush Arts Gallery and Resource Center.

Tickets to ART FOR LIFE start at $1,000 per person. For ticket/table purchases, please contact haven llc at 212.673.3194 or email ArtForLife@havenllc.com. For further information about Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, please contact Marc Eastwood, Development Associate at 917.229.7207, or via email at artforlife@rushphilanthropic.org.

ABOUT RUSH PHILANTHROPIC ARTS FOUNDATION

Founded in 1995 by brothers Russell, Danny and Joseph Simmons, Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation is dedicated to providing disadvantaged urban youth with significant exposure and access to the arts, as well as providing exhibition opportunities to under-represented artists and artists of color. While its primary emphasis is the arts, Rush Philanthropic is committed to the general well being of young people by considering a wide range of concerns. A 501(C) 3 organization, Rush Philanthropic fulfills its mission through three core programs: grants, exhibitions and mentoring. The Rush Community Grants Program annually provides direct funding to over 70 nonprofit organizations that offer education programming in all disciplines of the arts to New York City youth. Rush also runs two arts exhibition and education facilities: Rush Arts Gallery and Resource Center in Manhattan's Chelsea arts district and the Corridor Gallery in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill neighborhood. Our Rush Kids Visual Arts Mentorship Programs use arts education to create a spark that fires the imagination and creativity of the urban youth we serve. The Rush Impact Mentorship Initiative allows the foundation's leadership to reach out to young people by taking them behind the scenes at Rush Communications' headquarters for in-depth Q&A sessions with Russell Simmons and executives in music, fashion, and creative-related professions. Rush Philanthropic believes in the vital importance of lifelong exposure to the arts, nurtured in early childhood, and anchored in sustained, creative experiences throughout one's life.

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