DARKROOM is the Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago's (MoCP) annual benefit auction and party, which will be held at the Columbia College Chicago Student Center, located at 754 S. Wabash Avenue in the South Loop. This year's event, co-chaired by Jennifer and Joe Shanahan, will take place on Thursday, June 2, 2022, from 5:30-9 p.m, with a VIP Catchlight Cocktail Hour from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
 
Photography enthusiasts will enjoy hors d'oeuvres, drinks, and music while perusing auction items by celebrated contemporary artists, including work by Alec Soth, Dawit Petros, Alice Hargrave, Natalie Krick, Zora J Murff, Bob Thall, Dave Jordano, Doug Fogelson, and more. The benefit auction, which is presented by Sotheby’s, will remain open online for a week following the event.
 
Longtime MoCP supporters Lawrence K. and Maxine Snider will be honored during the evening for their contributions to the museum. For the past decade, they have sponsored the Snider Prize, which is a purchase award given to emerging artists in their final year of graduate study by the museum annually. The Snider Prize encapsulates the museum's ongoing commitment to support new talent in the field of contemporary photography. Notable past winners have included Widline Cadet, Steph Foster, Janna Ireland, and many others. Recent recipients Kei Ito and Alayna N Pernell will be in attendance.
 
All proceeds raised at DARKROOM will support groundbreaking exhibitions, public programs, and community engagement efforts for the museum’s 2022-2023 season.

Tickets start at $150 and go up to $375 per person for the VIP Catchlight Cocktail Hour, with a package deal available for 5 VIP tickets for $1,500. All contributions are tax-deductible. Learn more here.