Under a festive glow, the Contemporary Austin‘s Art Dinner 2025 this weekend proved that the city’s art scene can throw as big a party as its coastal counterparts—if not bigger. You know what they say about Texas, after all. The annual gala transformed the museum grounds into a modern-day Studio 54, raising funds for the institution’s initiatives with flair.
The Occasion: Beyond the glitz and soul, the 2025 Art Dinner raised critical funds for the Contemporary Austin’s programming with an auction that, in a rare turn, offered participating artists the option to receive up to 50 percent of the winning bid.
The Locale: Set against the Colorado River, the historic Driscoll Villa served as the evening’s focal point, with work by RF. Alvarez, Sarah Crowner, Lubaina Himid, and Ed Ruscha set up for bidding wars.
The Crowd: The roster of attendees included a host committee featuring film producer Bettina Barrow, entrepreneur Dante Clemons, interior designer Maya Nairn, and museum trustee Val Armstrong; actors Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Megan Ferguson, Kelly Frye, and Elizabeth Reaser; writer Jenna Bush Hager; Nike CEO Elliot Hill; advisor Nick Campbell; athletes Chris Bosh, Zach Martin, and Cutter Dykstra; and collector Suzanne Deal Booth, as well as creative director Celeste Quesada and musician Adrian Quesada.
The Entertainment: The night pulsed to live performances by TheBrosFresh—Louisiana-born twin brothers blending country and R&B—and Austin’s own Mama Duke, a two-time Austin Hip Hop Award winner and America’s Got Talent Season 20 finalist, who later hosted a buzzy afterparty featuring an electric lineup of DJs.
What You Missed: The fifth Art Dinner under the Contemporary Austin’s Ernest and Sarah Butler Executive Director and CEO sharon maidenberg, the event’s robust turnout reflects the institution’s drive to extend itself further into its community and the art-world network fostered under maidenberg’s leadership.
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