For the next several weeks, art lovers have the opportunity to bid on colorful and creative chairs designed by local and regional artists – and at the same time, raise money for efforts to protect the environment and human rights. “Take A Seat for Future Generations” is a community art installation and benefit auction taking place at multiple venues throughout Moab. The event, a silent auction fundraiser for the Women’s Congress for Future Generations, opened Sept. 8 and will continue through the first week of October, organizers said.

Take a Seat was inspired by the Greater Canyonlands Campaign, an effort “to protect the fragile and wild borderlands surrounding Canyonlands National Park,” organizers said.  The event is sponsored by Grand Canyon Trust and the Women’s Congress for Future Generations.

Utah artists have designed chairs around the theme “Protecting Our Beautiful Canyon Country Homeland for Future Generations.” Moab artists donating their creative talents to the event include Celia Alario, Cynthia Aldrich, Adele Alsop, Pete Apicella, Katy Brandenburg, Cris Coffey, Carolyn Dailey, Carol Delaney, Dave Evans, Kathy Grossman, Laurel Hagen, Kris Kelley, Tricia Ogilvy, Kristi Peterson, Jan Smith and Yrma van der Steenstraeten. Chris Peterson, Cody Chamberlain and KaLee Kilgrow are participating artists from Salt Lake City and Tim Peterson hails from Durango, Colorado.

During the month of September, art chairs can be found at the following shops, galleries and restaurants around Moab: Savage Spirit!, Canyon Voyages, Tom Till Gallery, Love Muffin Café, Wake and Bake Café, Sgt. Peppers Music and Video, Desert Thread, Overlook Gallery, Miguel’s Baja Grill, Eklecticafe, Red Rock Bakery, Eddie McStiff’s, Sabaku Sushi, Peace Tree Restaurant, Wild Rose’s, Back of Beyond Books and Spa Moab. Visit any location for a full list of artists and venues.

“Grand Canyon Trust is thrilled to team up with the Women’s Congress for Future Generations because we share the same ideals, a livable future, clean air and water and healthy bodies for all inhabitants, human and wild, of our beautiful home planet,” said Laura Kamala, who is producing the Take a Seat event with Celia Alario.

The Women’s Congress for Future Generations, the first event of its kind, will convene in Moab Sept. 27-30.

“The Congress will amplify an emerging movement that seeks to establish the rights of future generations and the responsibilities of the present generation to help articulate, codify, uphold and defend these rights,” Alario said in a news release. “More than 100 women and men from around the world are participating with the hope of transforming public dialogue about the collective future of humanity and will express through word, art, song and performance their vision of the rights of future generations, human and other life forms.”

Those who bid on and purchase art chairs through the auction will be supporting working artists as well as the Women’s Congress since event producers will be returning 30 to 50 percent of purchase value back to the artists. The last day to bid on art chairs will coincide with the Moab Art Walk on Saturday, Oct. 13.

For more information about the Women’s Congress for Future Generations visit www.wcffg.org. For information about the Greater Canyonlands Campaign visit http://www.grandcanyontrust.org/utah/canyonlands_issues.php.