Last night, Los Angeles saw a coterie of guests come together to raise a toast in honor of Ann Philbin, this year’s recipient of the Getty Prize from the J. Paul Getty Trust, awarded annually to leaders in the cultural fields.
The Occasion: Ann Philbin served for 25 years as director of the Hammer Museum at UCLA, contributing greatly to the Los Angeles art scene with her dedication to free, accessible programming and the launch of programs like the Hammer Projects, which spotlights rising creatives. For the prize’s accompanying $500,000 pay-it-forward grant, she selected NPR, KCRW, and LAist to receive critical funding.
The Scene: The evening opened with a cocktail reception, with guests mingling over lively conversation and a DJ set by KCRW, before sitting down for dinner. There, Getty Board Chair Rob Lovelace delivered welcome remarks and brought Philbin to the stage, who told the audience, “I do believe we are facing the most pressing issue of our time—the protection of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the first amendment … Our local public stations are the soundtrack of the city [with their] cultural programming and stories, the killer music sets, the news from around the world from voices that we trust.”
The Crowd: A gathering of both Philbin’s friends and peers filled the room, including the likes of artists Lita Albuquerque, Lauren Halsey, Betye Saar, Alison Saar, Charles Gaines, Doug Aitken, Sanford Biggers, and Mercedes Dorame; philanthropists Edythe Broad, Nicolas Berggruen, and Susan Bay Nimoy; LA Commons Founder Karen Mack; interior designer Michael S. Smith; and museum directors Zoë Ryan, Karen R. Lawrence, Joanne Heyler, and Michael Govan.
Cause for FOMO: As public programming and freedom of speech are under fire Stateside, NPR CEO and President Katherine Maher offered attendees a look at the future of the staple station, saying, “Americans know public radio for news, but we have another founding purpose—to provide access, inspiration, discovery, and delight through freely available cultural programming … Public radio’s strength has always been about the way we connect to our communities and the way our communities connect to us, and there is literally no greater recognition than when the community chooses to give back.”
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