More than �16,000 was raised to help orphaned children at an inaugural art ball.

The INTO-Giving Art Ball was held at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich at the weekend.

Organised by the team at INTO UEA, the ball raised funds to help build of an orphans and vulnerable children's centre in Zambia.

The event, which is set to be held bi-annually, was attended by more than 100 people and included an exhibition of more than 40 original artworks which were donated by artists and galleries throughout East Anglia and further afield.

The paintings were sold in a silent auction in aid of the charity. Further funds were raised in a raffle on the night and a live auction of luxury lots, including a week's holiday in North Carolina, which raised �2,100 and FA Cup Final tickets, raising a further �450.

Debbie Price, centre director for INTO UEA, said: 'It was a truly wonderful evening. The feedback we had from our guests was so positive and we are obviously delighted by the amount we have raised. I would like to thank my staff as well as Sarah Softley and her team at Softley Events for all the hard work that went into planning the event. We are also extremely grateful to the sponsors, guests and the general public who have all been instrumental in making our inaugural art ball such a success. We are deeply indebted to the many artists who so generously donated their works for such a good cause.'