Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Get ready folks! It's time for the annual "Subasta de Arte" at Puerto Vallarta's Public Library, Biblioteca Los Mangos. The Subasta (which means auction) is the annual fund raising event for Los Mangos Library and, as well, the largest for this local cultural and community center.

Scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 29th at 6 pm, this is the art auction's 15th year - and it promises to be the largest, and most entertaining, to date!

WHAT IS THE AUCTION?

The art auction at the library is the most important fund raising event of the year. In 2014, the event raised more money than in the previous 3 years. This allowed the library to operate for 2/3/4/ months. Annual funds raised enable us to provide a variety of important cultural services to the community.

The auction is an exuberant gathering of the visual arts community where artists, collectors, art entrepreneurs and friends can mingle and bid while enjoying art, food, drinks, and music. For the first time, the 2015 Auction will include a young talent section, compromised of art by children and aspiring, but still unrecognized, artists.

Click HERE to see some of the art to be auctioned off.

WHY AN AUCTION?

To raise funds and visibility and to create interest and loyalty to the library as a cultural resource. Los Mangos Library has provided cultural services to the general public since 1996. It is visited and used by more than 60,000 persons a year. With its reading and art workshops, the programs cater primarily to children. The Los Mangos Library is an accessible and secure place for community interaction and the furthering of education.

The annual cost of running this beautiful space is $1,000,000 pesos. The local government contribution covers only 12% of that cost. The rest is covered by the library’s donor base, a limited number of fund raising activities and individual donations.

In 2014, the Board of Directors was reorganized with the intention of improving and updating the building and improving and extending services to a larger user base, with emphasis on the economically disadvantaged community.

A public library is an integral and critical element of any city. The Los Mangos library exists because of the hard work of generations of education lovers and the generosity and support of the citizens of Puerto Vallarta. The board of directors hopes to achieve its 2015 goal of raising $500,000 Pesos and can only do this if the auction event is a success.

The Los Mangos Art Auction is one of the main events of the year in terms of fund raising, thus allowing us to remain as the regional leader in cultural services to the community. Please join us on January 29th and help support our efforts.