NEW YORK.- The Russian American Cultural Center 2007 (RACC) is proud to announce it’s 9th Annual Gala & Art Auction to benefit RACC Educational Programs and efforts to establish a permanent home and museum for RACC in New York. The gala hosted by Honorable Scott Stringer (Manhattan Borough President) and Regina Khidekel, RACC Founding Director, will be held at Sotheby’s New York at 1334 York Avenue and 72nd Street on June 4, 2007 at 7:30pm.

“Since its inception, the Center has been a leader in promoting Russian art and culture in our great City. Its numerous events held throughout the year have helped to strengthen the Russian community, and have educated New Yorkers about the rich heritage of their Russian neighbors...It is always gratifying to unite with people and organizations who share my commitment to maintaining New York’s reputation as the cultural capital of the world.” –Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor New York.

Evening festivities include cocktail and dinner reception, an exhibition of 20th Century to present Russian arts, silent and a live art auction. Special performances provided by Felix Ivanov and his collection of antique music instruments, and a concert presentation of Raisa, A Love Story that Changed the World, the new Broadway musical, centered on the character of Raisa Gorbacheva, by Elinor Rosenthal and Rolf Barnes.

There will be a total of 50 works on exhibit at Sotheby’s including about 15 works for sale during the live auction and an additional 20 selections for the silent auction. The featured important works include the following:

Nikolai Roerikh (1874-1947), Elizaveta Kruglikova (1865-1941), Natta Konisheva (b.1935), Nikolai Akimov (1901-1968), Vladimir Favorsky (1886-1964), Alexander Makhov (b.1944), Alexander Arefiev (1931-1978), Georgy Fitingof (1905-1975), Evgeny Mikhnov-Voitenko (1932-1988), Tatiana Bruni (1902-2001), Boris Erdman (1899-1960), Victor Perelman (1892 – 1967), Vassili Belyashin (1878-1929), Anatoly Kaplan (1902-1980), Konstantin Rudakov (1891-1949), Georgy Narbut (1886-1920), Mark Khidekel (b.1946), Pavel Tchelitchew (1898-1957), Leonid Lerman (b.1953) and the artists from St. Petersburg: Anatoly Zaslavsky (b. 1939), Aron Zinshtein (b.1947), Alla Davidova (b.1946), and Robert Lotosh (b.1953).

Tickets available online at www.russianamericanculture.com or you can send a check payable to:Russian American Cultural Center at 500 East 77th Street # 316, NY NY 10162. For more information call 212.744.5168 and 646-831-0554.