2016 Mac Ball

Montréal, July 13, 2016 – This year, guests at the annual MAC Ball will be invited to dive right into the world of the artist at the prestigious annual benefit evening to be held at the museum September 17. Once again orchestrated by Debbie Zakaib, Chair of the MAC Ball organizing committee, the very exclusive evening will surprise guests and confirm its position as the most audacious event organized by a Montréal cultural institution. For the 2016 edition, the theme of the Ball couldn’t be more evocative: Discover your inner artist!

The main source of funding for the Musée Foundation, the annual Ball is one of the year’s most anticipated and sought-after events. The evening has always been known for its high style, discerning taste and glamor. Dressed in their most original and sophisticated outfits, guests this year will step into an artists’ factory inspired by the glam aesthetic of the ’70s and ’80s and Andy Warhol’s Silver Factory. Throughout the evening, they will have the opportunity to taste the world of the artist by feeling the movements, seeing the music and hearing the colours. In keeping with the avant-garde fashion of the evening, the members of the Ball organizing committee bought their outfits from Québec designer Xavier Laruelle. Led by the vision of Debbie Zakaib, the evening has become so popular that tickets sell out close to a year in advance. Now recognized as the foremost event of the fall cultural season, the Ball brings together close to 700 people from the artistic and business communities, gathered to develop a strong ecosystem around the Musée while building a community of patrons committed to Montréal’s culture. To the delight of guests, the auction of the Ball will be back this year thanks to generous artists who donated artworks to help raise funds for the Foundation.

Honorary co-chairs of this utterly unique evening are Manon Brouillette, President and CEO of Vidéotron, Éric Bujold, President of National Bank Private Banking 1859, and Alexandre L’Heureux, President and Chief Executive Officer of WSP Global Inc. The evening’s hosts will be François Dufresne, President of the Musée Foundation, Alexandre Taillefer, Chair of the Musée Board of Trustees, Debbie Zakaib, Chair of the Ball Organizing Committee, and John Zeppetelli, Director and Chief Curator of the MAC.

“In addition to being involved in supporting contemporary art in a very tangible and meaningful way, guests at the MAC Ball have a chance to experience an absolutely extraordinary event,” says Debbie Zakaib, Chair of the MAC Ball organizing committee. “This year, we are delighted to work with one of the world’s top event-planning teams to offer our patrons and donors a splendid evening that they will long remember.”

An evening staged by 45 DEGREES, a world-renowned Montreal team

This year, the Musée Foundation has entrusted the agency 45 DEGREES, Cirque du Soleil’s events and special projects company, with the task of dazzling its guests. With proven expertise in creating successful events internationally, 45 DEGREES aims to present a Ball tailored to the expectations of the Montréal community.

“We are very proud to have been chosen to design and produce the 2016 edition of the MAC Ball. Even though we have had a chance to stage prestigious events all over the world, this particular one offers a real challenge for us. We will be presenting our project at home, in the heart of our city, in front of distinguished guests. The MAC is  where artists, their work and the public come together, and this is the setting in which we now have the opportunity to work on one of Montréal’s most eagerly anticipated events. Our team could not be more aware of this, and we are aiming for a result that lives up to the mission we have been entrusted with,” says Yasmine Khalil, President, 45 DEGREES.

Committed volunteers generating a major financial impact

The 2016 edition of the Ball should raise at least $700,000 net. With some $2.2 million net generated in the last five editions alone, the event allows the Foundation to participate in the museum’s activities in a concrete, financial way. This major contribution goes to supporting the education activities, building the museum’s Collection, extending the reach of contemporary Québec artists and bringing some of today’s leading international artists to Montréal. Putting on an event that has been such a resounding success every year would not be possible, of course, without the indispensable support of precious partners as well as the efforts of an organizing committee that plays an active part in developing the next generation of philanthropists and building a new community around the museum. Beyond the evening’s prestige and undeniable glamour, the MAC Ball derives meaning from the generosity and commitment of the organizing committee members, who share their time, their talent and their energy for the cause.

The 2016 organizing committee is made up of:

• Sophie Banford; General Manager and Editor, KO Média
• Anne-Marie Barnard; Director, Communications, Marketing and Foundation, MAC
• Ruby Brown; President, Rubybrown.com
• Violette Cohen; Volunteer tour guide, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
• Naila Del Cid; Coordinator, Musée Foundation
• Anna Goodson; CEO and Founder, Anna Goodson Illustration Agency
• Nathalie Goyette; Partner, PwC Law LLP
• Josée Noiseux; General Manager for Advancement and Partnerships, New Cities Foundation
• Katerine Rocheleau; Assistant, Guy Côté Family Wealth Management Team
• Danièle Patenaude; Assistant Director, Musée Foundation
• Jean-Philippe Shoiry; Head of Content Strategy and Partner, Republik
• Marie-Josée Simard; Director, Legal Affairs, Duchesnay
• Nicolas Urli; Co-owner, Flyjin, Hà, Jatoba and Velvet Speakeasy
• Debbie Zakaib; General Manager, mmode

About the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal

Located in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) makes today’s art a vital part of Montréal and Québec life. For more than fifty years, this vibrant museum has brought together local and international artists, their works and an ever-growing public. It is a place of discovery, offering visitors experiences that are continually changing and new, and often unexpected and stirring. The Musée presents temporary exhibitions devoted to outstanding and relevant current artists who provide their own, particular insight into our society, as well as exhibitions of works drawn from the museum’s extensive Permanent Collection. Every form of expression may be featured: digital and sound works, installations, paintings, sculptures, ephemeral pieces, and more. In addition to its wide range of educational activities familiarizing the general public with contemporary art, the Musée also organizes unique artistic performances and festive events. It is a window onto a myriad of avant-garde expressions that increase exposure and awareness of art throughout the city and beyond.

About 45 DEGREES, Cirque du Soleil’s events and special projects company

45 DEGREES delivers creative content for special projects and exclusive events around the world. At the core of its prestigious events is Cirque du Soleil’s unique wealth of creative excellence and expertise. It is this uniqueness that it brings to its esteemed clients, to help them not only achieve their objectives but also leave a lasting impression on their guests. 45 DEGREES is an international company integrated within Cirque du Soleil and has over ten years of experience delivering events and special projects under the name Cirque du Soleil Events. www.45degrees.com