NEW YORK, NY.- The Solar Panel Art Series, in partnership with online auction house Paddle8 and Olafur Eliasson’s Little Sun Foundation, announces a series of three online auctions of artworks to benefit “Solar Schools Program.” The Inaugural sale features 18 commissioned works by internationally renowned artists such as Felipe Pantone, Carolina Amaya, Rosh333, Ron Miller and XOOOOX. Proceeds from the sale will benefit Olafur Eliasson’s Little Sun Foundation, which helps provide school children living off the energy grid in Rwanda with access to clean and reliable light. The artworks will be on view at the Tech Open Air Festival in Berlin from 19 - 22 June and will be live to bidders worldwide on Paddle8 June 15 - 29, 2018.

The 18 works in the sale feature used solar panels provided by The Solar Panel Art Series, powered by The Beam Magazine, which each artist transformed into unique works of art. Proceeds support the Little Sun Foundation's "Solar Schools Program” to provide clear, safe and sustainable light to school children and their teachers, living without access to energy and often relying on the use of harmful kerosene lamp for light.

According to the World Bank, 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to clean and sustainable energy, and millions of school children cannot study after dark because they don’t have access to light. UNHCR revealed that a shocking number of people – 65.6 million – have been displaced from their homes in 2016 alone and live without reliable electricity. Clean energy remains key to solving many of the big, problems of our time and contribute to the global energy transition towards zero carbon economies and global energy access.

Eva Brandt, Head of The Little Sun Foundation states: “Energy poverty is a global issue, but most people don’t know there are over 1 billion people who do not have access to clean and affordable light. The Solar Panel Art Series is a great example of how art can engage people to think about global togetherness and take action. We share the same mission. Together, we can bring light and energy to school children in Rwanda and spread sustainable energy around the globe.”