December 21, 2001

Tamera Lenz Muente
Communications Officer
513-241-0343, ext. 36
tmuente@taftmuseum.org

New chairperson to lead Club 316, Museum's young professionals group

Sara Pearson Specter of Bellevue, KY, has been named 2002 Steering Committee chairperson for the Taft Museum of Art's Club 316. The group generates enthusiasm for and participation in the Taft Museum of Art by adults aged 21-45 through cultural and social events both at the Museum and throughout Greater Cincinnati. Annual events include the spring "Art of the Grape" wine tasting; summer "The Hotter The Better" Latin-themed party; and autumn "Jazz and Java" evening-all traditionally hosted in the garden of the Taft Museum of Art.

With the closing of the museum for renovations until spring 2003, Specter will work closely with Windy Robinson, the Museum staff's Club 316 Coordinator, to plan events elsewhere.

"We're looking forward to promoting and hosting these parties at different locations throughout Greater Cincinnati," said Specter. "It's an exciting opportunity for us."

"Attendance at our events in 2001 exceeded all our expectations," added Robinson. "It will be a unique challenge for Club 316 to maintain that momentum without the benefit of the museum grounds as the established site of the events."

Specter has served on the Club 316 Steering Committee since 1999 and runs Moxie Marketing LLC, a full-service marketing communications company offering advertising, strategic market planning, public relations, and graphic design services.

Club 316 is open to all Museum members at no extra charge beyond regular membership dues. Steering committee members for 2002 include:

• Marina Abanto (2001 co-chair) of Anderson Township
• Bill Abraham of Pleasant Ridge
• Tina Adolfsson of Hyde Park
• Jodi Bockenstette of Price Hill/Westwood
• Joelle Daniel of Clifton
• Beth Ferguson (2001 co-chair) of Hyde Park
• Marla Hall of Southgate, KY
• Meenoo Jain of Hyde Park
• Cate O'Hara of Northside
• Efrain Quinones of Cincinnati

For more information about the Taft Museum of Art's Club 316-or to suggest an alternative site for one of 2002's planned events-please contact Windy Robinson at 513-241-0343, ext. 24, or Sara Pearson Specter at 859-581-5545.

Fine Arts Fund Partner for Club 316 is Cincinnati Bell (a Broadwing company).

CAMPAIGN UPDATE: The Taft Museum of Art announced on May 7, 2001, its plans to close the museum November 5 to begin work on a $18 million renovation and expansion project. The Campaign for the Taft Museum of Art has reached 78 percent (approximately $14 million) of its goal.

For a current schedule of off-site programming while the Museum is under renovation, call the Take the Taft to Town hotline at 513-241-0343, ext. 18, or visit www.taftmuseum.org.

The Taft Museum of Art acknowledges the generous support from The Ohio Arts Council, the Fine Arts Fund, the City of Cincinnati and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Taft Museum of Art is a member of the American Association of Museums, the Association of Midwest Museums and the Downtown Initiative for Visual Arts.