Art for Ransom is a unique one-evening fundraising event organized by and benefiting Arts Street, a nonprofit organization that trains local youth in creative fields, using natural interest of young people in the arts today, to cultivate the smart, creative workforce of tomorrow.

During the Art for Ransom Event an exhibit of juried selected Artworks will be concealed from view until event goers collectively pay its ransom. This idea was developed at the student design competition put on by the Art Directors Club of Denver in the fall of 2008. About 100 student graphic designers teamed with professional art directors and brainstormed ways to market Arts-Street with the added caveat that the budget was next to nothing. The winning team came up with the idea of Art for Ransom. What would the world be without art? the team asked. If art was suddenly kidnapped, would we get a sense of its value?  Would donors big and small pay to get it back?

This year we are taking this idea even further! We are including this idea of ‘Art for Ransom’ as the theme of the artwork that will be presented.