Cubs Charities announces centennial seats public art project in partnership with Magellan Corporation and 47 local nonprofits, celebrities and artists

CHICAGO - To commemorate Wrigley Field's 100th birthday and the many historical moments that have taken place at the park over the last century, Cubs Charities is honoring the Friendly Confines with a momentous philanthropic effort. Beginning May 30, Chicagoans and tourists will find Michigan Avenue lined with 50 custom-made pairs of ballpark seats. The 100 seats each depict a special moment in time at Wrigley Field. Partnering with 47 Chicago-based nonprofits, celebrities and artists to paint the Centennial Seats, Cubs Charities will be hosting an online auction where participants can place bids to purchase the seats. All proceeds from the nonprofit-designed chairs will be split between Cubs Charities and the respective partnering organization.
 
"This has been such a special year as we celebrate Wrigley Field and what the park has meant to Chicago over the past century," said Laura Ricketts, Board Chair of Cubs Charities. "Cubs fans are truly the greatest in baseball, so we can't wait to honor them by giving back to the community with this special Centennial Seats program."
 
From Vince Vaughn and the Chicago Blackhawks, to the National Museum of Mexican Art and South Chicago Art Center, each organization or person has painted a scene that pays tribute to a specific moment in Wrigley Field history. Some of the memories include: Ernie Banks' Major League debut, the scoreboard installation, Babe Ruth's "called shot" and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, to name a few. The Centennial Seats will be on display along North Michigan Avenue throughout the summer. Participants can place bids for these one-of-a-kind chairs from May 30 through August 10. The auction will be held online at www.cubs.com/chairs.
 
To help raise awareness and promote the auction, Cubs Charities is calling for Chicagoans and Cubs fans alike to get out their phones and tweet, post and Instagram photos of themselves with the Centennial Seats. Using the hashtags #WrigleyField100 and #CentennialSeats, passers-by will be able join the philanthropic effort and spread the word that all proceeds will benefit a great local nonprofit. Additionally, a map has been created that pinpoints exactly where each nonprofit, celebrity or artist's respective seat is located, making it easy to navigate the Centennial display. The Magnificent Mile Association partnered with the Cubs to make this public art project possible.
 
Sponsored by Magellan Corporation, the Centennial Seats will be installed by Strata Contractors the evening of May 29 for their morning debut Friday, May 30. "We like to get involved with charitable projects that give back to our community - and this is possibly the most colorful and exciting one yet," said Michael Minkus of Magellan Corporation. "We can't wait to see the Centennial Seats set up on Michigan Avenue to kick off this charitable effort."
 
The full list of participating nonprofits in the Centennial Seats program, as well as other information about Wrigley Field's 100th birthday celebration, will be available beginning this Thursday at www.wrigleyfield100.com.