Friday, April 27, 2012

Young Affiliates of the Mint to host Derby Days May 5

The Young Affiliates of the Mint (YAM), a group of diverse young
professionals who promote and support The Mint Museum through social,
educational, leadership, and fundraising activities, will host the
annual Derby Days event on Saturday, May 5 from 4 to 8 p.m. on the
lawn of Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road.

Named the "Best Party for Young Socials" by SouthPark Magazine, Derby
Days brings together more than 300 of Charlotte's young professionals
to enjoy a day of live entertainment, lawn games, complimentary food
and beverages, a silent auction, and a large-screen viewing of the
Kentucky Derby, dubbed "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports."

Tickets can be purchased through the YAM web site, www.derbydayscharlotte.com
. Prices start at $38 for YAM members and $48 for non-members. Those
who wish to attend must purchase their tickets in advance. No tickets
will be sold at the door.

After Derby Days, the party will continue at Andrew Blair's, 1600
Montford Drive. The sponsor of this year's Derby Days after-party,
Andrew Blair's features a large patio area for young professionals to
dine and socialize.
From July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012, the Young Affiliates are
focusing on Project FundaMINTal. Project FundaMINTal is our campaign
to raise $20,000 that will help support the Mint's Annual Fund. The
Mint's Annual Fund addresses the most critical needs of the museum.

For more information about the 2012 Derby Days, visit www.derbydayscharlotte.com
.

ABOUT YOUNG AFFILIATES OF THE MINT

The Young Affiliates of the Mint is a group of diverse young
professionals who promote and support The Mint Museum through social,
educational, leadership and fundraising activities. Founded in 1990,
the Young Affiliates is the premier social arts organization for young
professionals in the Charlotte area. For more information about the
Young Affiliates of the Mint, visit www.youngaffiliates.org. The Mint
Museum is funded, in part, with operating support from the Arts &
Science Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Inc.; the North Carolina
Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources; the
City of Charlotte; and its members.

ABOUT THE MINT MUSEUM

As the oldest art museum in North Carolina, and the art museum with
one of the largest collections in the Southeast, The Mint Museum
offers its visitors inspiring and transformative experiences through
art from around the world via innovative collections, ground-breaking
exhibitions, riveting educational programs, and profound scholarship.
The Mint Museum is a non-profit, visual arts institution comprised of
two dynamic facilities: Mint Museum Uptown and Mint Museum Randolph.

Located in what was the original branch of the United States Mint,
Mint Museum Randolph opened in 1936 in Charlotte's Eastover
neighborhood as the state's first art museum. Today, in a beautiful
park setting, intimate galleries invite visitors to engage with the
art of the ancient Americas, ceramics and decorative arts, fashion,
European and African art, among other collections. Resources include a
reference library with over 18,000 volumes, a theater featuring
lectures and performances, and a museum shop offering merchandise that
complements both the permanent collection and special exhibitions.

Mint Museum Uptown houses the internationally renowned Craft + Design
collection, as well as outstanding collections of American,
contemporary, and European art. Designed by Machado and Silvetti
Associates of Boston, the five-story, 145,000-square-foot facility
combines inspiring architecture with cutting-edge exhibitions to
provide visitors with unparalleled educational and cultural
experiences. Located in the heart of Charlotte's burgeoning center
city, Mint Museum Uptown is an integral part of the Levine Center for
the Arts, a cultural campus that includes the Bechtler Museum of
Modern Art, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and
Culture, the Knight Theater, and the Duke Energy Center. Mint Museum
Uptown also features a wide range of visitor amenities, including the
240-seat James B. Duke Auditorium, the Lewis Family Gallery, art
studios, a restaurant, and a museum shop. For more information, check
out mintmuseum.org.