Over 250 supporters of the nonprofit Artists & Mothers descended on downtown creative hub WSA on Sunday to raise funds for the group’s hallmark $25,000 childcare grants, which provide aid to artists with children under 3 years old.
The Occasion: This was the nonprofit’s first annual gala, a sold-out bash highlighting the organization’s mission to support emerging and mid-career artists in and out of the studio.
The Scene: Guests were welcomed into an environment flush with interactive installations, including Ei Arakawa-Nash’s Please Draw Freely, which transformed the dance floor into a crayon-filled canvas. A geometric window installation by Lisa Alvarado and lounge filled with bean bags by Maia Ruth Lee completed the cozy atmosphere of the nontraditional fête—all produced by creative studio Souvenir Shop.
The Crowd: Between the bean bags and crayons were Artist & Mothers co-founders Julia Trotta and Maria De Victoria; incoming First Lady of New York Rama Duwaji; artists Farah Al Qasimi, Carissa Rodriguez, Joana Avillez, Sarah Crowner, Nicolas Party, and Camille Henrot; curators Myriam Ben Salah and Legacy Russell; patrons Valeria Napoleone and Arden Wohl; designer Araks Yeramyan; gallerist Bridget Donahue; model and actor Coco Baudelle; writers Liana Satenstein, Thessaly LaForce, and Sarah Blakley-Cartwright; and perfumer Alia Raza.
What You Missed: The delicate scent of Régime des Fleurs wafted through the lofty space, while guests took advantage of snacks by Happier Grocer, NA bubbly by French Bloom, a designated diaper-change lounge by Coterie, and high chairs and changing tables by Cybex.
The Entertainment: The evening hosted a boisterous array of performances—DJ Cardamami invited guests into an all-ages dance party while ventriloquist Sophie Becker delivered a cheeky set. Musicians Zeena Parkins and Cecilia Lopez offered a dynamic, experimental display, followed by Lizzi Bougatsos and Sadie Laska, joined onstage by Alexander Reed Fleming.
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