The Centrum Gala

2009 Gala Dinner and Auction "Celebrate Centrum"

Mark your calendar for Saturday October 17th, 2009

Celebrating 36 years of life changing experiences and artistic excellence!

Please check back soon for more details…

Purchase Centrum Gala Items Online

Did you miss the 2008 Gala? You can still help us raise money for aspiring artists by purchasing items from our online Gatherings Catalog.

These unique, fixed-price experiences were donated by individuals and businesses. They include such offerings as: a week at Villa Del Mar, Puerto Vallarta; a cruise aboard the wooden sloop “Annie Too,” Brisa Charters; a luxurious vacation villa in Marbella, Spain; a Christmas in Kauai; and many more.

Get shopping...and feel great about the fact that not only are you purchasing something of great value, you are also giving a gift of great value as well.

2008 Gala Raises $160,000!

On Saturday, November 15, three-hundred community members raised nearly $160,000 in support of Centrum, the multidisciplinary nonprofit organization which provides artist workshops, artist residencies and public performances at Fort Worden State Park. This year’s Gala was held at the Fort Worden Commons which was transformed into an elegant venue reminiscent of an arts and crafts style lodge.

 “We’re so humbled and thankful for this show of community support,” said Cindy McBride, this year’s  Gala’s Chair.  Almost $70,000 was raised specifically for scholarships. “Centrum’s mission is to provide arts experience that change lives, and there is no more direct way to do that than to offer scholarships,” added Kisha Palmer, Centrum’s managing director.

Centrum Board President Libby Reid noted that the funds raised were a testament to the volunteers and donors who made the Gala happen. “We are deeply grateful to the many dozens of volunteers who donated their time, energy and creativity to the Gala,” she said. “Centrum is an amazing organization to work for and we appreciate the support we receive from everyone.

Kitsap Bank served as presenting sponsor for the 2008 Gala and shares Centrum’s strong commitment to the arts and improving the quality of life in the communities it serves.

The theme of Centrum’s 2008 Gala was “A Sense of Place.” a celebration of Fort Worden as a beloved gathering place, the generosity of donors who have transformed the Fort into a renowned learning center, and the particular delights of regional cuisine and wine.

Emi Meyer, a former Centrum jazz student, was flown in from Los Angeles for the evening to present a musical performance. She noted how much her time at Centrum greatly added to furthering her career as an professional artist. Her CD’s were a sell out with Gala attendees.

Besides scholarship funds, additional support for Centrum was raised through a sale of unique, fixed-price experiences that were sold through a Gatherings Catalog, given to each guest in advance of the Gala. All of these opportunities were donated by individuals and businesses. They included such offerings as: two seats for the San Francisco Symphony along with a two night stay in San Francisco; a week at Hakima’s Moroccan Cooking School in Marrakech, Morocco; a week at Villa Del Mar, Puerto Vallarta; a cruise aboard the wooden sloop “Annie Too,” Brisa Charters; a luxurious vacation villa in Marbella, Spain; a southern Italian dinner for four at Lanza’s Ristorante; a child’s birthday party complete with a real fire engine; a Christmas in Kauai; and over ninety additional experiences.

The Gala dining experience was directed by Bon Appétit Management Company, led by Fort Worden’s executive chef Jay Payne—former owner of Port Townsend’s Wild Coho Restaurant. He presented a seasonal feast to spotlight locally produced and grown items such as a salad of roasted beets and frisee with Mt. Townsend cheese; grilled flat iron steak with a crab tartlet; timbale of grilled eggplant; and rose petal pound cake with cherries jubilee.

Three guest chefs prepared hors d’oeuvres during the Gala’s opening reception. Guests had the opportunity to sample and watch appetizers being made by Craig Hetherington of TASTE Restaurant at the Seattle Art Museum, Tamara Murphy of Seattle’s Brasa Restaurant, and Adam Stevenson of Seattle’s Earth and Ocean Restaurant. Music during the reception hour was provided by the George Radebaugh Trio.

Venue decorations and exquisite table settings—contributed by Petals Flowers     and Prud’homme Interiors—complemented the specialty cuisine. Subdued lighting, water fountains, bamboo timber and mosses, and a bronze forest decorated the space. Denise Blanchard of Petals and Anthony Prud’homme took their design inspiration from artist Morris Graves, the wild and wooly November weather, the Hoh Rain Forest, and the Arts and Crafts architecture of the Commons.

Support Centrum with Purchases from the Gatherings Catalog!

How would you like to take a romantic trip to an exotic location, have a dinner like no other, or a great adventure with some old or new friends and support Centrum at the same time? It’s easy! Just make a purchase from Centrum’s new Gatherings Catalog at this year’s Gala.

The Gatherings Catalog does not contain tangible items. Rather it’s a unique grouping of experiences that will allow you connect with other members of the Centrum community in a fun and meaningful way and hopefully allow you to make some new friends along the way.

Everyone who reserves a place at this year’s Gala will receive a Gatherings Catalog in the mail about ten days before the Gala. Please take the time to look it over and be familiar with the items you wish to purchase. A detailed list of rules regarding purchases appears in the catalog. One of the most important of these is: ALL ITEMS ARE ON A FIRST-COME FIRST-SERVED BASIS. That means if there is something you really want, please plan to arrive early to purchase it. Buying begins at 5:30 p.m.

Some items are listed with a Dream Value. This represents Centrum's wish for a higher donation over the presented value of an item. TO GUARANTEE YOUR PURCHASE OF AN ITEM WITH A DREAM VALUE YOU MUST BUY THE DREAM VALUE PRICE. (Example: If a trip has a "Value Price" of $1000 and a "Dream Value" of $1500 the buyer willing to pay the Dream Value of $1500 can override the buyer that signed up to pay the $1000 "Value Price.") 

Purchasing will continue until the end of the evening.

What are some of the experiences being offered in The Gatherings Catalog? At this date we have a number of special offerings like: two seats for the San Francisco Symphony along with a two night stay in San Francisco; a week at Hakima’s Moroccan Cooking School in Marrakech, Morocco; a week at Villa Del Mar, Puerto Vallarta; a cruise aboard the wooden sloop “Annie Too,” Brisa Charters; a luxurious vacation villa in Marbella, Spain; southern Italian dinner for four at Lanza’s Ristorante; a child’s birthday party complete with a real fire engine; a Christmas in Kauai; and so much more.

The Centrum Gala takes place on Saturday, November 15 at the Fort Worden Commons in Port Townsend, Washington. Besides a wonderful dinner of Northwest cuisine prepared by outstanding chefs, the Gala will also offer guests inspiring entertainment and a giving opportunity to the Centrum Scholarship Fund. The Gala is $125 per person and is open to everyone.

Please call the Centrum office at 360.385.3102 x116 for reservations and more information.

Family Influences: Chef Profile, Adam Stevenson

Adam Stevenson’s journey to become an executive chef began as a young boy, spending much of his time in the kitchen.

Influenced by his grandmother and mother, Adam would stick his finger into a batter, sample a soup or sneak bites of the roasted meats that were cooking. Often, Adam took part in the preparation of the day’s meal. At dinnertime, he had no problem clearing his plate; even his brother and sister would ask him to finish their meal so that they could go off and play.  Adam was happy to take care of the extras; he loves to eat!

The desire to be around food stayed with Adam throughout high school. He found himself cooking in local restaurants in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. After high school, Adam moved to Portland, Oregon to attend the Western Culinary Institute where he began to understand food and its possibilities. It was not until Adam went to work at Tulio Ristorante in Seattle, Washington, that his skills really began to bloom. Starting as a prep cook for Chef Walter Pisano, Adam worked his way through all stations, learning the proper way to handle food, compose dishes and develop his own understanding of cooking.  Adam achieved the title of executive sous chef.

As executive chef for Earth & Ocean, W Seattle, Adam has developed his own style influenced by the favorite dishes that he lived with for so many years and an affinity for the foods and cultures he loves. Adam’s cuisine reflects the eastern European influences from his family’s heritage, as well as Italian cooking of which he is so fond. He also enjoys incorporating the bright flavors, spices and comforts of India and the Middle East.

At Earth & Ocean, Adam focuses on producing many foods in house. From soups and sauces to the break- down of whole animals, to his house-made salami and cured meat’s program, Adam has been able to maintain a level of quality that he oversees on a daily basis. His commitment to artisan, organic, and natural products and sustainable cooking practices are reflected in all of his recipes and menus.

The Centrum Gala takes place on Saturday, November 15 at the Fort Worden Commons in Port Townsend, Washington. Besides a wonderful dinner of Northwest cuisine, the Gala will also offer guests the chance to purchase fixed-price specialty trips, adventures, and experiences from the Gatherings Catalog, which will premier that night. Light entertainment and a giving opportunity to the Centrum Scholarship Fund will round out the evening.

The Gala is $125 per person and is open to everyone. Please call the Centrum office at 360.385.3102 x116 for reservations and more information.