Telfair Museums announced that its 39th Annual Telfair Ball on February 23, 2019, held for the first time in Forsyth Park, raised a record-breaking $1 million. Proceeds directly fund the museum’s educational programs, outreach, operations, and related activities, bringing the benefits of art to more than 234,000 people each year both onsite and in the community.

This year, the Ball was a celebration of 200 years of the museum’s two historic sites, the Telfair Academy and the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, which were both completed in 1819. The theme, "As Night Falls, a Lavish Soiree,” honored two centuries of architecture, the Telfair family legacy, the magical designs of British architect William Jay’s buildings, and Savannah’s enduring allure and mystery. Under grand sailcloth tents in Forsyth Park, more than 500 revelers enjoyed a truly unique and fanciful evening, complete with pink ponies, fire-breathers, dance and opera performances, and a whimsical cast of characters floating through the park.

“The funds raised from corporate sponsorship, ticket sales, auction items, and donations at the 2019 Telfair Ball—organized by the amazing and fearless Ball Chair Meredith Dulany and her incredible support team—ensured that this year’s Ball would not just be a huge success but an earth-shattering achievement,” said Molly Taylor, Deputy Director, Telfair Museums. 

"It was an honor to serve as Chair of the 39th annual Telfair Ball celebrating the bicentennial anniversary of our two Historic Landmark buildings, the Owens-Thomas House and the Telfair Academy,” said Meredith Dulany. “Because of a multitude of talented artists and contributors led by Design Chair Paula Danyluk, along with Robby Perkins and Sarah Taylor Asquith, the 200th Anniversary Telfair Ball was an enormous success. Together, we produced an absolutely stunning event in Forsyth Park and raised funds for our Telfair Museums on a level worthy of such a momentous occasion.”

As the city’s hub for arts education, Telfair Museums provides more than 6,500 fourth-graders, Head Start, and Title 1 school students with free tours of major exhibitions, free art workshops, and free passes for their families. In 2019, eighth-graders will tour the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters with a new American history curriculum.

Telfair Museums’ STEAM Education Program now reaches hundreds of at-risk Savannah youth throughout the year at summer camps, community centers, and area libraries. These sessions led by professional instructors focus on cross-discipline creativity and real skills development at the crossroads of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math.

Telfair Museums is the only visual arts institution in the city to provide consistent, onsite arts outreach to all of Savannah’s districts. By traveling to community centers and recreational centers in low-income neighborhoods throughout the Savannah area, Telfair Museums provides access to art in a way that is wholly unique among Savannah institutions. All programs are free of charge and use art as a way to empower individuals who may be struggling with obstacles such as generational poverty. This ensures that all individuals, regardless of their age or socioeconomic backgrounds, have access to the cognitive benefits and enriching power of art.