NEW YORK, NY (October 30, 2008) -- The palmbeach³ Contemporary Art Fair signs on The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies as the official Fair sponsor for their 12th annual fair slated for January 15-18, 2009 at the Palm Beach Country Convention Center. This new sponsorship agreement was forged at a particularly historic time when the financial markets are in turmoil confirming the importance of this fair on the global art circuit.
"This agreement with Chubb marks their continuing long tradition of partnership with the dmg world media U.S. art and antiques fairs," says Mark Lyman, Vice President of that American fair division. He first developed a relationship with Chubb for the SOFA CHICAGO and NEW YORK Fairs in 2005, and has significantly strengthened that pivotal partnership over the years.
"With so many Chubb clients building outstanding collections of 20th century and contemporary art, painting, sculpture, decorative arts, photography and installation art, their sponsorship is a perfect fit for our fair," says Fran Kaufman, palmbeach³ Contemporary Art Fair Director. She reports that dealers, collectors and curators have already praised this new sponsorship agreement. Dorit Straus, Vice President, Worldwide Specialty Fine Arts Manager, Chubb & Son, Inc. will participate in the fair's dynamic collector programming. In addition, the fair VIP Lounge will be named The Chubb VIP Lounge.
"The Chubb sponsorship is just one of the many major steps we have taken to further raise the profile of palmbeach³ and draw top collectors internationally," says Kaufman, who is based in New York. Her innovative programming includes the creation of Museum Curator Program in which prominent museum curators from around the country will bring collector and donor groups to the fair and participate in VIP programs. Curators include Melissa Chiu, Asia Society Museum Director and Vice President of Global Art Programs, and Christopher Phillips, International Center of Photography Curator, among others.
In addition, palmbeach³'s Florida Museum Partnership Program has been vastly expanded to include an unprecedented 20 fine arts as well as decorative arts and design institutions. The inaugural Designer Committee is chaired by the internationally renowned interior designer Juan Montoya of New York and Paris. In addition, Kaufman has expanded considerably the fair's Host Committee made up of such prominent collectors as Joan and Charles Lazarus, founder of Toys R Us.
Chubb is the 11th largest property and casualty insurer in the United States and has a worldwide network of some 120 offices in 28 countries staffed by 10,600 employees. The Chubb Corporation reported $50.6 billion in assets and $14.1 billion in revenues in 2007. According to Fortune magazine, Chubb is the 180th largest U.S.-based corporation. The magazine also includes Chubb in its list of "America's Most Admired Companies." Forbes listed Chubb as one of America's 400 Best Big Companies.
palmbeach3 will open with a Preview Evening on January 14 that will give serious collectors, connoisseurs, art professionals and community leaders the first opportunity to preview and purchase a stellar array of paintings, photography, video, sculptures, functional objects and design from more than 95 prestigious national and international dealers. The galleries will present a range of contemporary art, from museum quality works by artists such as Richter and Rauschenberg, to top works by established mid-career artists as well as the latest from emerging artists - all in a variety of styles and media. The fair also features special exhibitions; a high-profile lecture series; a VIP program; installations; panel discussions that include internationally renowned museum directors, collectors and critics as featured speakers; and off-site collector events.
The palmbeach³ Contemporary Art Fair is a member of the family of high-level fairs under the newly announced management division: dmg world media Art & Antiques, North America. The Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fair, SOFA NEW YORK is slated for April 16 - 19, 2009 at the Park Avenue Armory, www.sofaexpo.com.
For more about palmbeach3, please visit www.palmbeach3.com or call 561-209-1308.