Cirque du Surreal

Biggs Museum Annual Fundraiser

October 17 | 6:00–11:00 PM
📍Biggs Museum of American Art
Museum and Big Top

Step into a living work of art—an immersive evening of spectacle, imagination, and celebration.

A Night of Surreal Wonder

Enter a world where reality bends and creativity takes center stage. Cirque du Surreal invites you into a phantasmagoric experience inspired by the dreamlike, theatrical works of Peter Paone.

Throughout the evening, guests will encounter a sequence of vivid, shifting moments—part performance, part celebration, part illusion.

Your presence supports The Biggs and helps ensure that transformative, community-centered arts experiences continue into the year ahead.

What to Expect

An Entertaining and Celebratory Evening for the Arts

Cirque-style performances paired with live music.
A curated silent auction featuring one-of-a-kind works of art.
A paddle raise to support the Museum’s mission of enriching lives through American Art and education.
Craft cocktails and private access to the Museum’s galleries, highlighting “Imagining the Spectacular: The Art of Peter Paone.”
Elegant culinary experience served under the surreal Big-Top.

Step into a world of imagination. This is your moment to wear what you’ve always wished you had somewhere to go. Think bold, whimsical, and artfully unexpected—circus-inspired looks with a sophisticated twist. Color, texture, and creativity are encouraged.

The main event will take place on the grass, so plan your look accordingly—creative yet practical footwear is key. (Think statement shoes, boots, or wedges; skip thin heels.)

Tickets & Pricing

Register for the Best Show in Town

Ticket Price $300

Click here to be redirected to ticketing page.

THE INSPIRATION:

Imagining the Spectacular: The Art of Peter Paone

A celebrated painter and printmaker, Paone established and chaired the printmaking department at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), where he taught for more than 30 years. His work has been celebrated in recent exhibitions at the Brandywine Museum of Art, the Michener Art Museum, and Woodmere. This groundbreaking exhibition at The Biggs is the first to focus on his watercolors.

Though Paone has been building portfolios of these works since the 1970s, many have never been shown publicly. His images are surreal and fantastical, drawing on art historical references with a touch of the macabre to develop a cast of characters inhabiting a world entirely his own. As the artist explains, “They are images waiting for a story to be written about them, the reverse of illustration.”

It is this sense of imagination, transformation, and theatricality that inspires Cirque du Surreal—an evening designed to bring Paone’s dreamlike world to life through performance, atmosphere, and unexpected moments that blur the line between reality and illusion.

SUPPORT THE BIGGS

Sponsorship

Your participation directly supports The Biggs Museum of American Art and our ability to provide free memberships, educational programming, and meaningful community experiences. These interactions through the cultural economy create a ripple effect that uplifts local community and businesses.

Become a sponsor and align your brand with one of the region’s most imaginative cultural events.

Sponsorship Levels

Supporter – $1,000

Two (2) admission tickets
Name recognition in event program
Recognition in post-event print ad (Daily State News)

Sponsor – $2,500

Four (4) admission tickets
Name recognition and small logo placement in event program
Recognition in post-event print ad (Daily State News)

Patron – $5,000

Eight (8) admission tickets
Logo recognition
Half-page ad in event program
Recognition in post-event print ad (Daily State News)

Benefactor – $10,000

Eight (8) premium tickets (includes curated gift and preferred seating for optimal viewing of entertainment)
Prominent logo placement
Full-page ad in event program
Verbal recognition during the event
Named sponsorship of a key event element (Cocktail Hour, Dinner, or Entertainment), with logo placement aligned to selected experience
Recognition in post-event print ad (Daily State News)

Impact

What It Means for You

Align your brand with one of the region’s most imaginative cultural experiences while connecting with an engaged and growing audience. Cirque du Surreal offers meaningful visibility, uniqSue hospitality, and the opportunity to be part of an unforgettable evening that reflects creativity, innovation, and community leadership.

As a sponsor, you’re not just supporting an event—you’re positioning your organization at the center of a vibrant cultural moment.

What It Means for Us

Your support makes it possible for The Biggs to remain open, accessible, and deeply connected to our community. Proceeds from this event help fund a wide range of free and low-cost programs for families, students, and lifelong learners, while sustaining the exhibitions and experiences that bring people together.

With your partnership, we can continue to grow our impact—expanding access, deepening engagement, and ensuring that the arts remain a vital and welcoming space for all.