The Arts Campus at Willits’ 4th Annual Gala

On June 15 in Basalt, Colorado, just down the road from Aspen, The Arts
Campus at Willits (TACAW) celebrated its 4th annual gala with an energizing
evening of music, dance, and community generosity, marking the
organization’s most successful fundraiser to date.

The night opened with a stacked lineup of performances. Comedian Tig Notaro
brought her signature wit to the stage and also helped emcee the evening’s
dinner program – I still melt from her hysterical routine about “No
Moleste” when she performed at The Wheeler years ago – look it up on
YouTube if you’re not familiar.

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance performed a striking duet, while young singer/songwriter Tristan Trincado shared some of his original tracks with the crowd. Local favorite Beth Malone, accompanied by David Dyer on piano, delivered a particularly special
moment: an original song written for a musical, performed publicly for the
very first time.

Following the performances, guests sat down for dinner alongside a lively
paddle raise that energized the room and ultimately propelled the gala to
its biggest fundraising night in TACAW’s history.

Once dinner wrapped, the celebration shifted gears from the tent to the
venue with its doors wide open so all could flow easily in and out of the
building. The band Monophonics took the stage, sparking a dance party.
Guests enjoyed late-night bites like pigs-in-a-blanket and mushroom
dumplings— paired with drinks and a dessert table.

None of this would have been possible without the generosity of the Gala
Host Committee, and TACAW extends its deepest thanks to Sam Augustine;
Kelly and Emily Boggs; Bob and Lori Brandon; Jami DeBold; Laura Donnelley;
Fidel Duke; Don and Marcia Flaks; Amy Harmon; Courtney and Spike Lipkin;
Michael Lipkin and Jody Guralnick; Jeff Orsulak and Rachel Shechtman;
Elaine Pagels and Alan Trist; Lyn Segal and Alex Sarratt; Daniel Shaw and
Isa Catto; The Shirk Family Foundation; Kirstie Steiner and John Groccia;
Melissa Temple and Liz Moss; Alexandra and Donn Willins; and Cheryl Wyly.

Thanks to the generosity of the community, TACAW continues to bring
exceptional arts programming to the Roaring Fork Valley — and this year’s
record-breaking gala is a testament to that shared commitment. Learn more
at www.tacaw.org.