Catching Lives and Streets Ahead team up for charity art auction
- Catching Lives
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
An art auction to raise funds for Catching Lives launches this week with online bidding opening on Thursday 24 April.
Catching Lives has teamed up with Streets Ahead Collective to auction great artwork kindly donated by the local artist community. We’re grateful to all the artists who have donated their work to support this event.
Bidding starts online via Jumblebee until Wednesday 7 May and then then 20 pieces will be selected for a live auction event on Thursday 8 May at Streets Ahead, on Burgate, Canterbury.
People can view the artworks and place bids online on Jumblebee and also view them at the Streets Ahead building from Thursday 24 April to Sunday 27 April 11am to 4pm.
Miriam Ellis, Arts & Activity Coordinator at Catching Lives, said: “It’s a fantastic chance to appreciate the incredible artwork up close.
“We’re really excited about the upcoming Catching Lives art auction. The evening auction promises to be a vibrant gathering of local artists, supporters, and community members, and a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the work of Catching Lives and The Streets Ahead Collective.”
If you would like to attend the Catching Lives and Streets Ahead Art Auction, please book a free ticket via Eventbrite.
FAQs for Art Auction
What is the event in aid of?
The art auction is being held to raise funds for Catching Lives and The Streets Ahead Collective. Catching Lives is a day centre supporting people experiencing homelessness. Streets Ahead Collective empowers individuals to create lasting change through creativity and learning, fostering a deep sense of belonging in the local community. Catching Lives works closely with Streets Ahead Collective who deliver art workshops to service users to boost their confidence and employability skills.
When does online bidding open and close?
Bidding will begin at 12pm on Thursday 24 April. The online event will run until 11.59pm on Wednesday 7 May. Then 20 pieces will be selected to go on to the live event on 8 May.
Where is the live event taking place, and can I attend?
The live event will be held on Thursday 8 May in Canterbury, at Streets Ahead (6-8 Longmarket CT1 2JS), from 6.30pm. Everybody is welcome to attend – we encourage signing up through this link so that we know to expect you:
How will the pieces for the live auction be chosen?
At the end of the online bidding round, the 20 pieces with the highest engagement (number of bids etc) will move on to the live auction to bid in-person.
How does the online bidding work?
Each piece can be bid on for two weeks online. There will be a starting price set for each piece, and bids can be made in increments of £5. If you have won a piece from the auction, you will be contacted via email after the auction ends and payment will be organised.
I’ve placed a bid for the auction online but I’m not attending the live event – what will happen to my bid?
If you are the highest online bidder on an item that is carried through to the live event, there is no guarantee that you will secure the piece. You can place a proxy bid online, indicating the maximum amount you will be willing to pay for the art – if this is higher than any of the bids at the live event, you will win the piece.
If you place a bid online, but somebody at the live event places a higher bid for the piece, they will be the winner. If the piece you have bid on does not move on to the live event and you are the highest bidder, you will be informed by email that you have been successful.
How can I pay for the artwork if I win?
For pieces that have been won through the online auction, payment will be taken via the auction platform*. Details will be sent to you via email after the event.
For payments at the live event, there will be an option to pay by card at the time of the event.
*Jumblebee takes a platform fee of 5% + VAT of the winning bid total.
How can I collect art that I have secured from the auction?
All art pieces must be collected from the Streets Ahead building by 16 May 2025. We are unable to post artwork to you. For any queries about art collection, please contact Miriam: arts@catchinglives.org.
Alternatively, if you are attending the live event and are able to take the piece away with you on the night, you are welcome to do so.
How big is the artwork?
All pieces have their measurements included in their Jumblebee biography. If you would like to see the art in person before placing a bid, all pieces will be displayed in the Streets Ahead building (old Curry’s Building, 6-8 Longmarket, Canterbury) from 24 to 27 April from 11am to 4pm. Please check sizes before you bid as some pieces are quite large.
Is there a starting price for each artwork?
Yes, all artwork will have an initial starting price for bids between £15-45.