ENCINITAS, CA.-August 15, 2008-Lux Art Institute will host a much-anticipated evening under the stars with its fourth annual fundraising gala, Lux After Dark, on Saturday, September 27, at 6pm at the beautiful Rancho Santa Fe estate of June and Neil Ash.

Guests, Lux Resident Artist Ray Smith, and gala honorees Joanne and Frank Warren will gather to enjoy festivities that include views of the Ashes' plein air art collection, cocktails, a gourmet dinner catered by Chef Jeffrey Strauss of the famed Pamplemousse Grille, and dancing to the music of The Shockwaves. Also on the agenda for the night: silent and live auctions featuring items such as exclusive stays at private homes around the globe and organic culinary adventures designed by Chef Scott Wagner of ChileCo. Dress is black tie optional but should be fabulous and festive.

Tickets are $250 each; $2,500 for a table of ten. Sponsored Tables start at $5,000. Proceeds benefit Lux Art Institute's programming and educational outreach.

"Lux's first year as a bricks-and-mortar institution was hugely successful in bringing talented, internationally recognized artists and incredible educational programming to the community," says Karen Tanz, vice president of Lux's Board of Directors and member of the Event and Honorary Committees. "Our gala celebrates not only how far we've come but is also a means to continue funding quality programs like our artists' residencies, the Valise Project, and Luxcursion. With a great second season under way, we encourage everyone to support the Institute and have a ball with us at Lux After Dark!"

While Lux's Event Committee continues to put their heads together and plan further delights and merriment, additional support for the gala is provided by the Honorary Committee: June and Neil Ash, Linda Brandes, Marsi and Eric Gardiner, Judith and Ron Judy, Kimberly and David King, Laurie and Rainer Moegling, Susan and Jim Morris, Reesey and David Shaw, Pam Slater-Price and Hershel Price, Karen and Stuart Tanz, and Joanne and Frank Warren.

To purchase tickets, inquire about sponsorship opportunities, or for further details, please contact the Lux office at 760 436 6611 or email Anne Iverson-Peltier at aiverson@luxartinstitute.org.

About Lux Art Institute
Lux Art Institute, located in Encinitas, Calif., opened its doors to the public in November 2007 and is redefining the modern museum experience with its artist-in-residence program. Artists live and work on site, while producing a commissioned work of art.

Throughout the year, Lux invites significant regional, national, and international artists to participate in the Lux residency and encourages visitors from across the country to observe and engage with them. This one-of-a-kind institution invites visitors to not only "see art" but also to "see art happen."

Slated to be the first "green" (LEED certified) art museum in California and located alongside one of Southern California's remaining coastal wetlands, Lux's four-acre site overlooks the San Elijo Lagoon and is surrounded by a wildlife preserve that stretches to the Pacific Ocean. In an effort to seamlessly meld the conservation and restoration of art beyond the museum walls, an array of rare native plants blends naturally into the nearby preserve.

Santa Monica, California-based Renzo Zecchetto, AIA - whose other significant architectural projects include the award-winning Church of the Nativity in Fairbanks Ranch, Calif. and the Alusa Printing Company in Santiago, Chile - designed the two-story building to utilize energy-saving strategies such as the use of natural light and recycled materials to preserve resources for future generations.