“I’m at $500 n I wan $550, $550, bid n $550, I’m at $500 will you go $550, $550…”

Intentional spelling errors aside, this narrative is a prime example of the imprecise sounds that an auctioneer might chant at his audience. Auctions provide the opportunity for bidders to compete against one another for items leaving the highest bidder to walk away with one heck-of-a-deal. And while it’s very easy to get lost in the magical moment of an intense bidding war, physically attending an auction is not the only way to find incredible deals.

Of course, this information isn’t news. I mean, everyone has heard of eBay, right? But what if I told you that the money earned from a specific auction could go straight into your very own industry? Whoa. I’ll give you a second to catch your breath.

By going to the IAVM Foundation‘s Bidding for Good auction page, you can place your bid electronically on incredible entertainment packages, sports memorabilia, and other great items. And YES, all of the money raised goes straight back into the venue industry! “How,” you ask? 

The IAVM Foundation supports industry educational programs, development, and funds research. Some of these programs are things like 30 | Under | 30, VenueDataSource, Venue Management School, and the Certified Facility Executive and Certified Venue Professional certifications.

Since the start of the 2016 Online Auction (which began on August 16), more than 50 items have been donated from venues, organizations, and individuals all over the world. From those 50 items, we have raised more than $6,239 so far, which will be funneled straight back into those Foundation funded programs we just mentioned. But we need your help to reach our goal of having your continuous support of the Foundation.

The auction as a whole doesn’t end until January 15, 2017, so it’s not too late to visit our web page and place your bid. But be quick, because each item has its own individual end date, and that’s the deadline you don’t want to miss.

Unfortunately, you don’t have the pleasure of an auctioneer rambling off numbers to you while you anxiously wait to see if you’ve won. But the satisfaction from claiming an item as your own is just as prominent and rewarding as a physical auction victory. And the bonus is that no one can see you jumping around with excitement while you’re doing your happy dance.

Take a look at some of these hot auction items, or visit our main page to view all of our available items. See how giving back can also give back to you.

EDMONTON, AB – The Shaw ConferenceCentre (SCC) is offering local artists a chance to have their artwork displayed to over 500,000 guests annually. Submissions are being accepted until January 8, 2017.

Artists are encouraged to visit the public spaces of the convention centre and visualize where they can see their artwork being displayed. Artwork must be representative of the culture or geography of Edmonton, and can take the form of ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking or photography. Those selected will have the opportunity to sell their piece after being on display for one year. 

“With over 650 events booked at our venue each year, this is a perfect opportunity to showcase the talent of Edmonton artists to our community and guests from across Canada and the world,” says Lisanne Lewis, General Manager, Shaw Conference Centre. “The new program will help us activate underutilized space and allow Edmontonians to see their convention centre as a community canvas.”

An iconic Edmonton venue, the Shaw Conference Centre has supported local artists by displaying their work both in and outside the venue for over 30 years. From the Paskwamostos (Bison) that stands guard over the River Valley and gigantic murals by Clay Ellis in the Hall D foyer to the pARTnership Gallery featuring the work of grade 1 to 12 students, locals and visitors from around the world can be seen stopping to snap a photo or pose for a memento in front of these works.

Selected artists will be paid full artist fees according to Canadian Artists Representation (CARFAC) and all submissions will be judged by a panel of employees from Edmonton Economic Development Corporation. For full details, visit http://bit.ly/2fWEjhP.
Continue Reading →

The Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta welcomes Serge Belair to the position of executive chef on February 1, 2017. The appointment, announced by venue General Manager Lisanne Lewis, brings one of the rising chefs into the job after Chef Serge received the award of Edmonton’s top 40 under 50 in 2015. He is no stranger to the venue, however, after working his way up the ranks since joining in 2005.

“Chef Serge has been a rising star that has proven he has the skillset and leadership to take over the culinary operations of Edmonton’s convention centre. His appointment ensures there is a smooth transition and the quality and consistency of meals served at the Shaw Conference Centre continues to be exceptional,” Lewis said.

He will replace the retiring Simon Smotkowicz, who departs the facility after 28 years to embark on a new chapter in his career. The footsteps that Belair replaces are huge as his predecessor has won numerous medals as a part of Canada’s Olympic Culinary team and has mentored many young chefs throughout the years.

Lewis acknowledged the outgoing chef and his work, noting that he “leaves behind a dedicated team and strong brand.”

Chef Serge’s impressive resume includes studying at Commission scolaire la Vallee de la Lievre and practical experience at Hotel Clarion Gatineau’s Restaurant La Pergola from 1999 to 2005. His rise within Shaw Conference Centre included stints as chef de partie in 2005, sous chef in 2007 and senior sous chef in 2011.

Photo by Curtis Comeau

SEATTLE, November 15, 2016 — LMN Architects, a multidisciplinary design firm with a reputation for distinctive, community-focused projects of all scales, announce the selection of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts as a recipient of the 2016 Global Award for Excellence from the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

Designed by LMN Architects in partnership with executive architects Marmon Mok Architecture, the $150 million expansion and renovation project embraces the multi-faceted cultural identity of the city with a distinctive tapestry of form, materiality, light, and landscape. The project was one of eleven real estate development projects from around the globe to have been selected as winners in the ULI 2016 Global Awards for Excellence program, widely recognized as one of the industry’s most prestigious awards programs. This year’s winners—representing projects in Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America—were honored recently at the ULI Fall Meeting in Dallas.

The jury noted that, “The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts brings a world-class, dynamic performance venue and gathering place to San Antonio, while creating a vibrant connection between the city’s main cultural venue and the famed River Walk.”

The program, established in 1979, recognizes real estate projects that achieve a high standard of excellence in design, construction, economics, planning, and management. Open to the entire industry (not just ULI members), the awards program is viewed as the centerpiece of ULI’s efforts to identify and promote best practices in all types of real estate development. “Cities are about people—the way people interact, get around, and go about their daily routines. Great cities are made of great places that make the urban experience easy and enjoyable,” said awards jury chairman Steve Navarro, executive vice president, CBRE l the Furman Co. in Greenville, South Carolina. “These projects reflect the highest standards of design, construction, economics, planning, and management. But most important: they are improving people’s quality of life.”

“The Global Awards for Excellence showcase efforts that have both succeeded in pushing ingenuity and exemplifying best practices in land use across the globe,” said Patrick L. Phillips, ULI global chief executive officer. “This year’s winners have demonstrated a committed contribution to responsible real estate development and a dedication to building thriving, livable communities.”

Completed in 2014, the facility offers a rich diversity of architectural experience, capable of continuous transformation in response to programmatic and environmental influences. While retaining the Municipal Auditorium’s treasured historic façade, the Tobin Center weaves a new 183,000-square-foot facility into its framework of public space—including a 1,768-seat main performance hall and 231-seat flat floor studio theater. The complexity of the facility reconfiguration called for a grand, unifying design gesture to integrate new and old architectural components. The solution—a porous, shimmering metallic veil—creates a sculptural, environmentally responsive expression that celebrates the cultural life of contemporary San Antonio. The veil begins low at the River Walk, and rises through irregular sheer planes to form an unmistakable new architectural presence in the San Antonio skyline.

“We drew inspiration for the architectural form and detailing from the Spanish Colonial style of the original 1926 Municipal Auditorium, as well as San Antonio’s rich vernacular of color, pattern, and public celebrations,” said Mark Reddington, FAIA, lead designer and partner at LMN Architects.

Goals for the expansion and renovation were threefold: to create a large, flexible, multi-use performance space with acoustics comparable to the world’s finest concert halls; to restore the iconic historic building for future generations; and to create a vibrant connection between the city’s main cultural venue and the River Walk. The completed project combines the historic preservation of one of San Antonio’s most beloved architectural icons with the most flexible multi-purpose performance hall in the United States.

In a statement, George Shaw, FAIA, partner in charge for the project said, “LMN is humbled and honored by this important recognition for the Tobin Center. To have played a role in helping to positively shape the urban culture and civic vitality of San Antonio is incredibly rewarding. We share this honor with our passionately dedicated client group and design team.”

The project is also the recipient of a 2016 Honor Award and a Mayor’s Choice Award from the San Antonio Chapter of the AIA, a 2016 AIA Washington Council Civic Design Awards, Award of Merit, and a 2012 Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award.

Continue Reading →

Schuler Shook announces the opening of its San Francisco Bay office and addition to its California team. The office is the natural product of Schuler Shook’s active presence and ongoing work in California and will help provide local expertise to our clients in the region.

Schuler Shook’s new office comprises a group of highly experienced and respected designers, including Heather McAvoy, ASTC, Principal; Harold “Chip” Ulich, ASTC, Project Theatre Consultant; and Kent Conrad, ASTC, Project Theatre Consultant.

Recent and current projects in the office include Stanford Memorial Auditorium and Pigott Theater Renovation, Madera Unified School District Theater, Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, Crested Butte Center for the Arts, and River Spirit Casino.

Chip Ulich has been a theatre consultant at Schuler Shook for ten years, planning and designing theatres for scores of clients. He is currently the Project Theatre Consultant for Crested Butte Center for the Arts in Colorado and Oklahoma State University McKnight Center for the Performing Arts. Chip is also the Vice President of the American Society of Theatre Consultants and has served in that capacity since 2015.

Joining Chip in the firm’s new San Francisco Bay office are Heather McAvoy, ASTC, and Kent Conrad, ASTC.

As a Principal at Schuler Shook, Heather is in charge of the office, applying her 30 years of experience in theatre consulting with another firm. She is a recognized leader in theatre planning and consulting, emphasizing collaboration and creativity in her approach to each project. She is also active in the industry as a Board member of the American Society of Theatre Consultants. Her theatre projects include the recently opened Roble Gym Complex Renovation at Stanford University, Thomas Theatre at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, CA.

Heather says, “Joining Schuler Shook is a great opportunity for me to bring more resources to my clients. I enjoy the collaborative environment at Schuler Shook, and I’m looking forward to this next chapter, working with my clients to solve their theatre needs.”

Kent Conrad’s background in theatre and performing arts is deep. He has served as production manager for the Arizona Theatre Company, American Theatre Company in Aspen and the UCLA department of Theater, Film and TV. For Walt Disney Entertainment, he consulted on two venues for Tokyo DisneySea theme park and was technical director for the initial shows. He is a scenic and lighting designer and brings those sensibilities into the theatre planning process. His theatre projects include Bakersfield College Performing Arts Center and Amphitheatre, Riverside City College Concert Hall, and Craterian Theatre at the Collier Center for the Performing Arts in Medford, OR.

Firm Partner Todd Hensley, ASTC, comments, “We’re excited to have Heather and Kent joining Chip in our California office. All three are great people to work with, very collaborative and collegial team members. Heather and Kent each bring incredible theatre planning experience and systems design expertise to our practice.”

Schuler Shook’s San Francisco Bay office is the firm’s fifth, joining their offices in Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas, and Melbourne, Australia. Firm Partner Jack Hagler, ASTC, says, “This is an exciting time of growth that builds on our years of work in California, the Pacific Northwest and the region as a whole. The new office will allow us to support projects more robustly, as well as help us maintain the level of close client involvement and collaboration that we are known for.”

Get to know Heather, Chip and Kent.