9 Photos
A box for the 2025 Auction by Barbara Maslen. COURTESY THE ARTIST
"Wave, Contained," a box for the 2025 Auction by Casey Anderson. COURTESY THE ARTIST
A box for the 2025 Auction by Dan Rizzie. COURTESY THE ARTIST
"A Thread Worth Pulling," a box for the 2025 Auction by Christa Maiwald. COURTESY THE ARTIST
"Summer Dream," A box for the 2025 Auction by Marilyn Church. COURTESY THE ARTIST
A box for the 2025 Auction by Susan Lazarus. COURTESY THE ARTIST
A box for the 2025 Auction by Susan Bradfield. COURTESY THE ARTIST
A box for the 2025 Auction by Gabriele Raacke. COURTESY THE ARTIST
A box for the 2025 Auction by RJT Haynes. COURTESY THE ARTIST
The 25th annual East End Hospice Box Art Auction returns to East Hampton on Saturday, August 23. A tradition on the East End for more than two decades, each year, participating artists are given plain boxes to use as the basis for a piece of art. Using their imagination and an array of materials and objects, the artists then transform the boxes into fanciful, creative and one-of-a-kind works of art that are sold at auction to benefit East End Hospice. The evening includes a silent auction, a reception and a live auction conducted by Lucas Hunt. For the past 14 years, the Box Art Auction has also included presentation of the “Spirit of Community Award,” given to an honoree who contributes and supports community causes, especially those involving with the arts. This year’s recipient is Ellen Hermanson Foundation co-founder and Executive Director Julie Ratner.
In a recent Q&A, Arlene Bujese, the benefit’s chair and longtime curator, gave a run-down of the auction’s inner-workings by the numbers:
Q: How many boxes will be exhibited and sold at this year's auction?
A: There will be 79 boxes this year.
Q: Roughly how many people attend the auction each year?
A: The number of attendees would average around 200.
Q: How is the money raised through this fundraiser used to support the work of East End Hospice?
A: The Box Art and other fundraising efforts provide essential funding, enabling East End Hospice to offer all its services — home hospice, inpatient care, grief and bereavement support — at no cost to all. East End Hospice’s fundraising efforts contribute 30 percent of the organization’s operating budget.
Q: What is the opening bid price for the boxes?
A: For the silent auction $125, and for the live auction $250.
Q: What is the highest price that a box has ever sold for at the auction?
A: The highest successful bid was $10,000.
Q: How many new artists are taking part in this year’s auction?
A: There are three new artists. This number varies from year to year and can be anywhere from a few to 10.
Q: Are there any restrictions on the artwork created?
A: The only limitation is size — boxes must be no more than 18 inches.
Q: What is the most unusual material that an artist has used to make a box?
A: We have pretty much seen it all. Creativity is an open opportunity and the artists often take full advantage of this. There is traditional painting and sculpture to every kind of found object used — clay bricks, nails, toys, you name it. Just so long as it is nonperishable.
The 25th annual East End Hospice Box Art Auction will be held on Saturday, August 23, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Hoie Hall at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 18 James Lane, East Hampton. Tickets are $100 at eeh.org and include wine and hors d’oeuvres. The silent auction portion of the evening begins at 4:30 p.m., followed by the live auction beginning at 5:45 p.m.
Boxes can be previewed at Hoie Hall on Wednesday, August 20, and Thursday, August 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Wednesday, August 20, from 5 to 7 p.m., the public is invited to a “Meet the Artists” preview reception.
