ArtBLINK Gala Goes Virtual for 2021-2022

Story by Emma Holmes | Photos courtesy of the UAB Archives

Fourteen years ago, the Advisory Board of the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center added a new feature to its annual fundraiser by challenging 12 local artists to each create a one-of-a-kind work of art in the “blink of an eye.” The artists were given 90 minutes to create and complete their own art pieces live on stage before the pieces were sold in a live auction that same evening. This was the first iteration of what is now known as the O’Neal Cancer Center’s annual ArtBLINK Gala, which has become one of Birmingham’s premier fundraising events.

Vicki Denaburg was one of the original 12 artists who participated in the first ArtBLINK Gala in 2008 and says she remembers feeling nervous about the event in the beginning.

“I was very hesitant to participate in ArtBLINK that first year,” Denaburg said. “Not many artists want to try to paint a painting from scratch in front of several hundred people and then have it be auctioned off.”

Denaburg says that, ultimately, she could not bring herself to say no to the opportunity. She knew that the fundraiser supported an important cause, and ArtBLINK quickly became dear to her heart. Since then, Denaburg has remained an integral part of ArtBLINK and, this year, was one of the 18 local artists who participated in the 37th annual ArtBLINK Gala, which was held virtually for only the second time in the event’s history.

Adapting and evolving

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Advisory Board of the O’Neal Cancer Center had to come up with a new way to host ArtBLINK that followed social distancing and masking guidelines. Instead of inviting hundreds of people to The Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital for a black-tie gala, the Advisory Board opted for a virtual event.

For the past two years, the virtual ArtBLINK Gala has included a drive-through dinner pickup, an online auction and an hour-long video program, which premiered on the O’Neal Cancer Center’s YouTube channel on the evening of the event.

This year, the video celebrated the O’Neal Cancer Center’s past, present and future; introduced each of the participating artists; and spotlighted the 2022 Director’s Circle Honorees, Janie and David Brown, as well as cancer survivors Debby and Clarence Pouncey.

Additionally, the video provided better opportunities for participants to learn about the cutting-edge research taking place at the O’Neal Cancer Center every day.

“This year, we got to talk about the science more, and people got to learn about how lucky we are to have the O’Neal Cancer Center here in Alabama,” said Charlie Perry, president-elect of the Advisory Board.

“The environment that makes the experience at the in-person ArtBLINK so great also takes away that ability to communicate about other important factors at the Cancer Center,” Perry said.

The COVID-19 pandemic is not the only reason that ArtBLINK has changed over the years. The Advisory Board is always considering new ways to make the gala an engaging experience for patrons and looks to make subtle changes to the event every year.

The participating artists play a role in this process as well. Denaburg, who serves on a planning committee with four other artists each year, says that the artists are always looking for more ways to connect with guests.

“When we started, all of the artists painted in one spot, and the night ended with a live auction,” Denaburg said. “A few years ago, we spread the artists out and started using bid sheets at our stations for the auction. We felt like this small change gave the artists a better opportunity to interact with the patrons throughout the night, explain what we were painting and, ultimately, drive the bids up.”

When the Advisory Board – then known as the Cancer Center Supporters Board – sponsored its first gala in 1986, the event was a traditional fundraising gala. But with the introduction of the artistic elements and the addition of local artist participation 14 years ago, ArtBLINK has become what it is today and serves as proof of the Advisory Board’s passion and eagerness to evolve and improve each year.

The best is yet to come

Since it was established in 1984, the Advisory Board of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center has been known for its commitment to supporting cancer research, prevention and care at the O’Neal Cancer Center.

The Advisory Board was founded by a determined group of women who believed in the Cancer Center and wanted to support it in its early days. Two of the board’s founding members included Kitty Robinson, who still serves on the board today, and Lella Bromberg, who served as the first president of the board when it started in 1984.

“Because the Cancer Center was one of the first National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation, nobody really knew what the designation meant or what to do with it,” Perry said. “That group of women decided the Cancer Center was going to be great, and they built this board and determined its direction.”

As the O’Neal Cancer Center has grown, the Advisory Board has grown with it. Lee Thuston has been a member of the Advisory Board since the spring of 1994 and has seen the board set itself up for success over the years.