Few settings command the room quite like the Met’s Temple of Dendur, but YoungArts proved itself a worthy match. Its nearly 45 years of championing young and emerging artists were felt as the organization honored the past year’s most outstanding contributors to the arts, while heralding the next generation of visionaries. Actor Marisa Tomei took home the Arison Award (granted annually to an individual who influences and supports other artists), with ballerina Misty Copeland and artist Glenn Ligon lending their talents as honorary co-chairs.
The Scene: A night out on the Upper East Side for New York’s most discerning class of patrons, creative tastemakers, and artists as conversation flowed and warm remarks were given by the night’s hosts and honorees.
The Locale: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Temple of Dendur, with a candle-lit grand stairwell and flourishes of fine decor by Raúl Àvila, the celebrated designer behind the annual Met Gala.
The Crowd: Guests included dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov; arts leaders Anne Pasternak, Simon Castets, Max Hollein, Nicola Lees, Connie Butler, Cecilia Alemani, Christophe Cherix; patrons Robert and Jamie Singer Soros, Gillian Hearst, and Komal Shah; artists Ralph Lemon, KAWS, Taryn Simon, the Haas brothers, Sheree Hovsepian, and Camille Henrot; and actors Mark Tallman and Rosie Perez.
The Entertainment: Performances by YoungArts award winners across generations, directed by performer and choreographer Caleb Teicher, and emceed by Broadway performer Blaine Alden Krauss—a 2010 YoungArts Winner in Theater and Presidential Scholar in the Arts.
What You Missed: If seeing Mikhail Baryshnikov and Misty Copeland share the same room wasn’t enough, YoungArts raised $1 million in a single evening, rallying its community around the next generation of promising artists.
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