Excitement is building and preparations are coming to an end for the fabulous Bard in the Botanics Fundraising Dinner and Auction taking place at Oran Mor on Thursday April 18th.

Following a difficult season in 2012 due to the consistently bad weather, we’re planning to return to our beloved Botanic Gardens and Kibble Palace in the West End of Glasgow this summer with a full programme of creative performances and events to delight our faithful audiences and hopefully encourage newcomers to explore Shakespeare in laid back surroundings.

Hosted by Kaye Adams - herself a keen supporter of Bard in the Botanics - the spectacular evening will include a Champagne reception, sumptuous three course meal, pop up Shakespeare performances, a fantastic auction offering many money can’t buy lots, and a raffle competition offering an impressive haul of valuable prizes. We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of sponsors and those businesses that donated raffle prizes, and as we’re sure you’ll agree, it’s shaping up to be quite an evening!

To whet your appetite, we’ve compiled a brief summary some of the lots available to bid upon.

1. ‘Dolly Parton, Nashville, 1976’

The black and white Fibre-based, archival print is signed titled and dated by Harry Benson.

Glasgow-born Harry Benson’s photographic career has spanned 60 years, and during this time he has covered a range of subjects unequalled among his peers. From portraits of world leaders including eleven US presidents to film stars and celebrities; Benson has captured the major events and iconic moments of our time ranging from the American Civil Rights Movement and 9/11 to the fighting in Bosnia and the Gulf War. His work has appeared in Life magazine, Vanity Fair, GQ, the New Yorker, Time, Newsweek and People.

He has had over 40 one man exhibitions including two in his home country, at the National Galleries of Scotland, and at Kelvingrove; has twice been named photographer of the year by the National Press Photographers Association of America, and received a Lifetime achievement award from the Scottish Press Association. Widely recognised as one the UK’s most eminent and highly respected artists, Benson has published 16 books and has received numerous honours including a CBE, a Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society in London, and was given the first honorary degree awarded by Glasgow School of Art.

This is an amazing opportunity to own a Harry Benson work.

Paper size 17 x 22 inches. (gallery price in New York $ 5000.00)

2. All Aboard the EOS! Day out for up to 6 people on one of the fastest racing yachts on the Clyde.

Eos is a 40 foot Elan 410 skippered by Rod Stuart. After a short safety briefing from Rod at James Watt dock, the group will enjoy a morning sail to Cove Hotel where a delicious lunch will be served ashore before hopping back on board Eos to return at around 4pm. By arrangement you can sail almost any weekday or a choice of 4 weekend dates

If you are at all faint hearted about taking to the water…this is a great chance to do it with confidence. Rod Stuart has sailed the Atlantic single-handed. With a name like that what would you expect?

3. A signed Andy Murray tennis shirt

For all sporting aficionados, this t-shirt is quite simply a piece of tennis history, worn and signed by the most successful Scottish, and arguably British tennis player of all time…the World Number Two. Having collaborated in the design with sponsor Fred Perry, Andy Murray debuted this tennis shirt at the 2009 Wimbledon, the season we all started to believe that Murray could win a grand slam title.

4. Pre-theatre drinks party for 10 in the Kibble Palace and tickets to a Bard in the Botanics performance

In the words of the Bard “this garden has a world of pleasures in it” and in the Botanics here in the West end of Glasgow, the stunning Kibble Palace - recently refurbished to its former glory - is certainly one of the most captivating. This is a chance to entertain and treat friends to a private party among spectacular surroundings before enjoying the pleasures of a Shakespeare performance indoors in the Kibble (or outdoors if you are confident that we cannot have a repeat of last summer!)

5. Limited edition bottle of 20 year old single malt Scotch whisky

A real collector’s item, this whisky from the Allt-a-Bhainne Distillery was made especially for the Gurkhas. Distilled from one cask and in the traditional style with “no chill filtration”, the malt is offered “in its full and redolent glory” at a strength of 50% alc vol. Only 298 bottles of this whisky exist and this is a rare opportunity to obtain one.

6. Bottle of 12 year old Laphroaig with 6 whisky glasses donated by Prince Charles.

Need we say more?!

We’re thoroughly looking forward to enjoying a fabulous meal and spending the evening in the company of Kaye Adams, the cast of performance actors, and valued supporters of the Bard in the Botanics. There are still a few tickets available, so if you would like to join us on the evening, please email admin@bardinthebotanics.org or call +44 (141) 334 9016 - you’d be more than welcome!

KEYWORDS/TAGS (Separated by Commas)

Bard in the Botanics, charity event, Scottish Arts, Kaye Adams, Oran Mor Glasgow, event, Glasgow dinner event, Shakespeare, performance art, theatre, auction, Dolly Parton, Harry Benson, Andy Murray