When Robert Bassett was approached to donate a painting to be auctioned during last year's telethon to benefit the Council Partners Charitable Trust he was only too delighted to oblige because he believes in its mission and the good causes it supports.

He was also impressed that he was asked to donate a painting instead of cash.

"It got me thinking that there is a lot of potential in allowing people who have abilities to utilise their talents in such a way that the Council Partners and other fund-raising groups like them can really maximise the contributions which can be made to them," Mr. Bassett says.

Encouraged by the money his painting raised during that first telethon, the Bermudian artist put on his thinking cap and came up with the idea of holding a full exhibition of his art as a fund-raiser in aid of this year's telethon.

"As an artist I thought that doing an art show would involve more people, and there would be more social interaction, and more of making people in the community aware of the Council Partners, rather than just requesting people to make a donation," Mr. Bassett says.

The Council Partners happily accepted his proposal, and together they worked out the terms and the exhibition's theme. Thus, "All Together Now" was born.

"The theme is pretty much the concept of what the Council Partners is all about," Mr. Bassett notes.

"Unfortunately, not everybody at the grass roots level and in the corporate world knows what it does, so (with an art show) you have a mix and a crisscross of Bermuda society and culture. Hopefully, the exhibition will motivate and inform more people."

The Council Partners Charitable Trust, a registered charity, was formed on March 1, 1996.

Its purpose is to serve the community through raising funds and allocating them to quality substance abuse prevention and treatment programmes which fulfil the objectives, priorities and programme standards set by the National Drug Commission's Strategic Plan.

Mr. Bassett, who owns the Regal Art Gallery, will exhibit 24 works in oils and acrylic on canvas which have been especially painted for the exhibition.

The collection will include abstracts, and "across the board subjects" designed to appeal to all tastes. All will be available for sale, with part proceeds going to the Council Partners.

"All Together Now" will take place in the gallery of ACE global headquarters on Woodbourne Avenue. An opening reception and private viewing is set for March 8, following which the exhibition will be open to the public from March 11 to 15 between 9 a.m. and 12 noon.

"We are encouraging schools to make arrangements to bring students to see the show, ask questions, and be better informed about what the Council Partners is all about," Mr. Bassett says.