Author Grace Bonney Set for Women's Association of NJPAC's 2017 Spring Luncheon

The Women's Association of NJPAC Annual Spring Luncheon and Auction welcomes Grace Bonney, founder of the blog Design*Sponge and author of the bestseller In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs, as special guest for its annual springtime fundraiser on Tuesday, May 2.

Bonney will lead an engaging and galvanizing discussion with several of the entrepreneurs featured in her book, which is an unprecedented collection of empowering advice and inspiration from women who overcame adversity to start their own creative businesses. Panelists include Miko Branch (co-founder, creative director and CO-CEO of Miss Jessie's Natural Hair Products and Salon), Genevieve Gorder (television host and producer, home product designer, contributing author, and global ambassador for home and human rights), and Klancy Miller (author of Cooking Solo and pastry chef).

The event begins at 10:30 a.m. with a silent auction and networking, followed by the lunch and program in Prudential Hall at noon. Attendees will also enjoy a special performance by students of NJPAC's nationally recognized arts education program.

Patricia Capawana is this year's recipient of the Ronnie Goldberg Award for "Outstanding Contributions to the Women's Association and NJPAC."

Underwriters for the event are Prudential and The MCJ Amelior Foundation and United Airlines is the "official airline of the Spring Luncheon & Auction 2017."

The Women's Association (WA) of NJPAC's Annual Spring Luncheon and Auction is hosted by the Women's Association of NJPAC and Co-Chairs Terri MacLeod and Karen C. Young. This unique event is attended by over 500 prominent women business leaders and philanthropists from throughout New Jersey, who share a gourmet luncheon on the main stage of NJPAC's spectacular Prudential Hall. The mission of the Women's Association of NJPAC is to fund, promote and advocate for NJPAC and to support the cultural, educational, and artistic vision of NJPAC for children of New Jersey by providing programs and opportunities that support their inner artistic goals.

The organization connects women who are impassioned by the arts and who embrace the importance the arts play in children's lives and in the brightness of their futures. The WA members serve as ambassadors for the arts, who assemble and engage women from divergent communities throughout the State of New Jersey to support the cultural, educational, and artistic vision of NJPAC. The WA continues to look for new and innovative ways to support the fourth largest program of its kind in the country. The WA has funded hundreds of scholarships to eager and talented students, raised money for tap shoes, ballet slippers, dance studios, scripts, props, sets, summer musicals, hip hop classes, vocal training, and much more. NJPAC's SchoolTime performances, in-school residencies, and after-school arts training classes reach tens of thousands. The WA is confident that early exposure to the arts often makes for better citizens down the road. For more information, visit wanjpac.org.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States and is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey - where Great Performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state's and the world's best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted more than 10 million visitors (including over 1.5 million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. Visit njpac.org or call 1-888-GO-NJPAC for more information.