Room to Bloom Returns: The Mint Museum Auxiliary Unveils a Season Worth Marking
A $200,000 gift to the Museum, a milestone anniversary, and three marquee speakers headline the 2026–27 calendar.
In a year when The Mint Museum turns 90, its most devoted champions have given the occasion a fitting start. At its Fall Membership Meeting, the Mint Museum Auxiliary announced a $200,000 donation to the Museum for fiscal year 2027, made possible by a successful 2026 Room to Bloom fundraising season.
The gift reaches across the Museum's mission. The largest share, $85,000, supports Brilliant By Design: The Handbags of Judith Leiber, with a further $25,000 keeping Free Wednesdays alive at Mint Museum Randolph and Mint Museum Uptown. The remainder funds the work that carries the Museum into the community: $30,000 for family programs and creative collaborations, $25,000 for school tours and gallery programs, $25,000 for the Grier Heights initiative, and $10,000 for Mint to Move.
It is a continuation of a long tradition. Over 70 years, the Auxiliary and its partners have contributed more than $16.8 million to the Museum for exhibitions, educational programs, and acquisitions, including more than 3,800 works for the permanent collection.
The 2026–27 Room to Bloom Season
This year's Room to Bloom series pairs the Museum's anniversary with a lineup of voices from design and the arts.
Fall EnrichMint Forum with Young Huh
November 5, 2026 | Mint Museum UptownThe season's first public event welcomes designer Young Huh.
Winter Evening of EngageMint with Hunt Slonem
January 28, 2027 | Mint Museum UptownArtist Hunt Slonem, known for his exuberant paintings of tropical birds and rabbits, takes the stage on an evening devoted to engagement with the Museum.
Spring Symposium with Meg Braff
April 14, 2027 | Charlotte Country ClubInterior designer Meg Braff, celebrated for her command of color and pattern, closes out the speaker series.
The season also includes two gatherings honoring those who make it possible: the CommenceMint Party on November 4, 2026, for Benefactors, Patrons, and Sponsors, and the MerriMint Party on April 14, 2027, celebrating the close of the season.
A Milestone in Clay
The Auxiliary's season follows the 20th Annual Potters Market at the Mint, held September 25–27. The weekend opened with a Preview Party, then brought 55 North Carolina ceramic artists to the Museum, along with a talk by Pueblo artist Virgil Ortiz and a Sunday ceramics symposium. The 2026 market was chaired by longtime Mint supporter, Auxiliary member, and North Carolina ceramics champion Betsy Wilder.
About the Auxiliary
The Mint Museum Auxiliary is a leading, innovative affiliate organization dedicated to generating funds for inspiring educational offerings for the community and significant acquisitions for the Museum's permanent collection.
Ticket and membership details here.
VIVANT is proud to be a media sponsor of the Mint Museum Auxiliary's 2026–27 Room to Bloom season.
Comments