Wearable Art Show to Top $1.5 Million in Total Donations For YWCA
Popular RAGS event celebrates 22 years of supporting YWCA Pierce County's Life Saving Domestic Violence Services
Tacoma, Wash.—The 22nd annual RAGS Wearable Art sale and gallery competition will take place March 10-13, 2016, at Larson Mercedes-Benz of Tacoma in Fife. In the last 21 years RAGS has raised $1,402,000 for the YWCA Pierce County’s life-saving domestic violence services and plans to bring the 22 year total to over $1.5 million with the 2016 event. The RAGS Guild continues to build this event because the need for services for victims of abuse continues to grow.
This year seven Tacoma artists have been selected to participate in the show: Mimi Anderson, Ann Darling, Cheryl DeGroot, Joan Joachims, Amy Reeves, Unique Handwovens, and Elayne Vogel.
Creative clothing, fashion accessories, and unusual jewelry from more than 70 artists of local, regional, and national acclaim will be for sale at the boutique-style show. A third of each RAGS artist’s sales benefit the YWCA’s domestic violence prevention and intervention programs.
Many RAGS artists hail from the Puget Sound area, and artists from around the country also display and sell their work at RAGS. Months before the show, the all-volunteer guild solicits regional individuals and businesses for monetary and in-kind donations to defray show expenses and supplement RAGS’s contribution to the YWCA. As a result, nearly 100 percent of RAGS proceeds go directly to the YWCA.
The blend of art, fashion, shopping, and fundraising is what makes RAGS significant to its many loyal supporters, according to Susan Boynton, RAGS chair. “RAGS draws on passions that run deep among shoppers, artists and volunteers,” says Boynton. “Domestic violence is an all too familiar issue in our community. Whether directly or indirectly, we likely know someone affected by abuse. Those who participate in the annual RAGS event believe that it is important to fund programs offering hope to families affected by domestic violence. And when that opportunity is combined with shopping for unique wearable fashions, people find that it's a fun way to support an organization that is saving lives in our community.”
“The RAGS show offers variety in every price range,” Boynton says, “from artistic, affordable beaded bracelets and whimsical accessories, to luxurious hand-woven garments, and unique gold, silver or precious stone jewelry.” Besides its boutique-style “Marketplace” sale, RAGS also features a gallery-style competition of one-of-a-kind garments, accessories, and jewelry. Judged by well-known names in the arts community, the winners in several categories earn cash awards. Some of these special works are for sale, giving shoppers the opportunity to own an award-winning piece of wearable art.
The RAGS show is open to the public at no charge at Larson Mercedes-Benz of Tacoma, 1701 Alexander Ave. E., Fife WA 98424, just off Interstate 5 in Fife. Show hours are Friday and Saturday, March 11 and 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, March 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The weekend begins with a ticketed Gala preview event on Thursday, March 10. The gala ticket price is $70 and tickets may be purchased at RAGSWearableArt.org. Also available for purchase at the website are RAGS gift certificates in any denomination.
For more information about the 22nd annual RAGS Wearable Art Show, visit RAGSWearableArt.org, call the RAGS hotline at 253-272-4181, ext. 352 or contact Margaret Ross at 253-223-0457 or ragsguildross@gmail.com.