The Yard hosted their annual benefit at The Grange Hall in West Tisbury this past Wednesday, July 23. A sold out event, this year’s Art a la Carte — The Yard Benefit featured performances by The Bang Group, Yin Mei, and the Vineyard Sound.
The evening began with a cocktail hour on the Grange Hall’s front porch, with a series of tap performances by The Bang Group’s David Parker, Jeffery Kazin, and Alison Manning. Guests then made their way upstairs for a performance art solo by Yin Mei, accompanied by instrumentalist Jiaojiao Lu. During the performance, Yin Mei created a scroll-like painting, made with Chinese ancient calligraphy ink and green tea powder, which was later auctioned off to the highest bidder. The night continued with a sit-down dinner catered by V. Jaime Hamlin & Sons, and speeches by The Yard’s Artistic and Executive Director, David White, Board President Laura Roosevelt, and Benefit Chair Risë Terney. With dessert came performances by The Vineyard Sound, including traditional a cappella songs, modern remakes, and instrumental scores.
This benefit comes at a crucial time for The Yard — with the implementation of the “MakingIt” Program (a dance curriculum made for the Island’s schools), and an impending capital rehabilitation of The Yard’s campus, the growing support from the community is imperative to the growth and sustainability of this organization. A night of art and fun, this event was a smashing success.
