As one of the gala circuit’s opening bellwethers, the Whitney Museum of American Art did what it does best: collapsed disparate culture scenes into one broiling, buzzy party. Hosted by the Whitney Contemporaries and co-chaired by comedian Ego Nwodim, artists Martine Gutierrez and Emma Safir, patrons Steven Beltrani and Alexander Hankin, and stylist Micaela Erlanger, the sold-out 2026 Art Party transformed the museum’s ground floor into a full-throttle dance floor (DJ’d by the Dare and artist Raúl de Nieves). “[The Art Party] celebrates bold self-expression in such a genuine way, and the energy in the room made the night feel intimate and unforgettable,” Erlanger later reflected.
The Occasion: The annual Art Party—hosted by the patrons of the Whitney Contemporaries—with proceeds benefiting the museum’s ongoing programming with emerging artists. Each year, the night plays out as a fundraiser, calendar mainstay, and temperature check on museum parties all in one.
The Scene: An after-hours gathering that leaned into its dance-party roots. Kenneth C. Griffin Hall pulsed with flashing lights and maximalist looks as guests flitted between the floor, galleries, and cocktail lines (including one inside the main elevator). Up the stairs, attendees could be seen slipping away to exclusive gallery access—a welcome breather between DJ sets and industry catch-ups.
The Crowd: Spotted in the fray were First Lady of New York Rama Duwaji; home and design icon Martha Stewart; cultural tastemakers Ava Dash, Emira D’Spain, Brooks Marks, and Jessel Taank; artists Martine Gutierrez, Sasha Gordon, Sophie Elgort, Frank WANG Yefeng, and Ashley Zelinskie; curators Chrissie Iles and Christiane Paul; and models Sarah Daoui, Gabrielle Richardson, Dylana Lim Suarez, and Natalie Lim Suarez.
The Entertainment: The DJ roster started with De Nieves, who offered a genre-blurring concoction of sound that kept the floor packed until the Dare took over—delivering his signature sweat-inducing bounce with remixes and original tracks.
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