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Council of 100 37th Annual Artist Lecture and Luncheon: Donna Sternberg, Saturday, October 10, 2026

Store/Council of 100 37th Annual Artist Lecture and Luncheon: Donna Sternberg, Saturday, October 10, 2026

YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2026!

COUNCIL OF 100

37th Annual LECTURE and LUNCHEON

honoring the Distinguished Woman Artist for 2026
DONNA STERNBERG

Luncheon tickets for the Fresno Art Museum's Council of 100 Distinguished Woman Artist for 2026, Donna Sternberg, Dancer and Choreographer are $75 each and include an elegant vegetarian luncheon with the artist, catered by Pardini’s, coffee, wine & ice tea, a lecture in the Bonner Auditorium by Donna Sternberg, a screening of The Vortex, a short film about Donna Sternberg & Dancers, followed by a panel discussion with the choreographer and film-making collaborators Meredith Tromble, a visual artist and Dawn Sumner, a geobiologist. In lieu of an exhibition catalog that is normally included for attendees of the luncheon, guests will receive one ticket to a performance by Donna Sternberg & Dancers scheduled for 7 pm on the evening of Friday, December 11, 2026*at the Warkentine Culture & Arts Center on the campus of Fresno Pacific University.

Your ticket for the Donna Sternberg & Dancers performance will be presented to you at the luncheon. Additional performance tickets for the December 11 event will be available at FAM and online for purchase. Tickets for the dance performance will not be available at the door.

TICKETS WILL NOT BE SOLD AT THE DOOR

All luncheon tickets will be held at the door and are non-refundable.

This is a fundraising event to help support the annual Council of 100 Distinguished Woman Artist exhibition and performance by the Donna Sternberg & Dancers.

EVENT SCHEDULE:

10:00 am Doors open

10:30 am Showing of the film The Vortex in FAM’s Bonner Auditorium

11:00 am Panel Discussion on The Vortex (Panel includes Donna Sternberg and collaborators on the film)

11:30 am Talk by the artist

12:00 pm Meet the artist in her exhibition

12:30 pm Luncheon served in the Lobby Gallery

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Dear Museum Members and Supporters,

Since 1988, the Fresno Art Museum’s Council of 100 has each year honored a woman artist over the age of 60 who has spent thirty years or more in the studio, has created a unique and prestigious body of work, and lives 100 miles outside of Fresno with a solo exhibition and a companion catalog. This year dancer/choreographer, Donna Sternberg, is the Distinguished Woman Artist for 2026 and her retrospective exhibition, consisting of historic photographs and looped videos of her company’s performances between 1970 and 2025, opened at FAM on August 1st.

Every year in late summer, the Museum invites the Council of 100 affiliate members and general members to the Council of 100 Lecture and Luncheon held annually in October at the Museum.

For the first time in the thirty-seven-year history of the Council of 100, their Selection Committee chose a performance-based artist rather than an artist working in static two- or three-dimensions. Consequently, rather than a catalog associated with her show, Donna Sternberg & Dancers will be performing on Friday, December 11, 2026* in the Warkentine Cultural & Arts Center on the campus of Fresno Pacific University. Those attending the Lecture/Luncheon will be given one ticket to the performance in lieu of the usual gratis exhibition catalog.

Because we did not raise funds to publish a catalog, you will see that we are also seeking an additional donation to bring Donna and her dance company here to Fresno for three days in December. Their transportation, hotel, food, and rehearsal time, plus the rental of the theatrical venue is an $8,000 expense related directly to honoring her as the Council of 100 Distinguished Woman Artist for 2026. We are asking you to please give generously to support the expenses of Donna Sternberg & Dancer’s performance in Fresno later this year bringing our honoring of Donna to fulfillment. We are all looking forward to seeing Donna Sternberg and her small troupe perform in Fresno.

Thank you so much for your continued support of the Council of 100, its annual Lecture and Luncheon, and this enrichment program in December. Your current Council of 100 support ensures the longevity of this illustrious and historic FAM member group that honors women artists. Without you, the Council of 100 could not bestow this important award and all that it means to the honoree. We intend to continue this special recognition of deserving women artists for many years to come.

We hope that you join us for the luncheon and give a donation to support the December 11 performance honoring Ms. Sternberg.

Truly,

Michele Ellis Pracy
Executive Director and Chief Curator

Pamela Akin Nelson
Chair, Council of 100

*Please note date change for the December dance performance.

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