Friday, November 20 | 5:30 – 9 p.m.

 

HONORARY CHAIRS:

MARY NEUBAUER AND CLARE VERSTEGEN

 

SHEMER HONORS is an annual dinner gala, designed after the Kennedy Honors program, which each year recognizes ONE Arizona artist who has achieved great success in his or her career and given back to the Arizona community.

This year’s honoree is Tom Eckert, a Phoenix, Arizona-based artist and internationally collected sculptor known for his masterfully carved wooden sculptures that blur the line between reality and illusion: https://www.tomeckertart.com/portfolio.  An exhibition of his work, featuring never seen-before works of art, will be on display October 28, 2026 – January 7, 2027.

Our 2026 Shemer Honors event will once again start with an artist exhibition reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Shemer Art Center, followed by a dinner and program starting at 7 p.m. The program will include a personally narrated tour of the exhibition by Tom.

Since 2016 the Shemer Art Center has enjoyed the opportunity to recognize 10 extraordinary Arizona artists, including Angela Tassoni (2016), Jim Waid (2017), Merrill Mahaffey (2018), Bill Nebeker (2019), Beth Ames Swartz (2020) and Mark Klett (2021), Mayme Kratz (2022), Ed Mell (2023), Tom Bollinger (2024) and The Patania Family (2025).

 

EVENT SPONSORSHIP LEVELS:

$10,000 – Secrets

Title Sponsor name recognition on cover of event program and on video, plus one artist-inspired, designer-decorated table of 10 at event, a full page color ad, and mention as the Secrets Title sponsor in event program.

$7,500 – Illusions

Presenting Sponsor name recognition on cover of event program and on video, one artist-inspired, designer-decorated table of 10 at event, a 1/2 page color ad, and mention as the Illusions Presenting sponsor in event program.

$5,000 – Perception

In Partnership Sponsor name recognition on cover of event program and on video, one artist-inspired, designer-decorated table of 10 at event, a 1/2 page color ad, and mention as the Perception In Partnership sponsor in event program.

$3,000 – Reality

One artist-inspired, designer-decorated table of 10 at event and mention as a Reality sponsor in event program.

$1,500 – Mystery

One-half table (five seats) at event and mention as a Mystery sponsor in event program.

$1,200 – Discovery

Four seats at event and mention as a Discovery sponsor in event program.

$600 – Wonder

Two seats at event and mention as a Wonder sponsor in event program.

$300 – Imagination

One seat at event and mention as an Imagination sponsor in event program.