Art21’s 2026 Spring Gala made for a new, memorable evening in the organization’s history. Artists, educators, filmmakers, patrons, and creatives of all kinds joined together to celebrate 25 years of making contemporary art education accessible to all.
Art21 honored luminaries Charles Gaines and Paul Pfeiffer, two living legends whose work demonstrates art’s capacity for storytelling across diverse mediums. In addition, Art21 paid tribute to the late Agnes Gund, whose tireless dedication to the arts and social justice will serve as a model for generations to come.
Tina Kukielski, Art21’s Susan Sollins Executive Director and Chief Curator, gave a keynote that reflected on her own origin story with Art21 and celebrated the organization’s ongoing contributions to the ever-expanding canon of contemporary art. She raised a glass to another 25 years of creative storytelling and sharing artists’ works and words with broad audiences.
Artists in attendance included Trey Abdella, Ragini Bhow, Esteban Cabeza de Baca, KING COBRA, CFGNY, Sara Cwynar, Raúl de Nieves, Abigail DeVille, Leonardo Drew, Daniel Gordon, Josephine Halvorson, Oliver Herring, Maryam Hoseini, Heidi Howard, Tishan Hsu, Josh Kline, Shaun Leonardo, Hannah Levy, Guadalupe Maravilla, Adam Milner, Azikiwe Mohammed, Diane Severin Nguyen, Aliza Nisenbaum, Pat Oleszko, Louis Osmosis, Trevor Paglen, Naudline Pierre, Puppies Puppies (Jade Guanaro Kuriki-Olivo), Mariah Robertson, Rachel Rossin, Sable Elyse Smith, Ruby Sky Stiler, Hank Willis Thomas, Jaimie Warren, and Marela Zacarías.
Filmmakers and media guests included Bryan Chang, Channing Dungey, Jon-Sesrie Goff, Ash Goh Hua, Crystal Kayiza, Daniel Lombroso, Paul Moakley, Rafael Salazar Moreno, Stanley Nelson, Marcia Smith, Christine Turner, and Ava Wiland. Arts patrons and collectors included Dalal and Zack Arnold, Fred Bidwell, Dillon Cohen, Bill and Christy Gautreaux, Bernard Lumpkin, Dawn and Chris Fleischner, and Eleanor Propp. Other major figures in the arts and culture spheres included Kate Fowle, Billie Tsien, Courtney Martin, and Diya Vij.
With Christie’s Sara Friedlander at the helm, the night’s live auction was nothing short of a triumph.
A surprise intervention by the Hungry March Band concluded the dinner and moved guests to the After Party for dance and music by DJ Jennifly and a special Yearbook Photo portrait station by artist Tommy Kha.
Special thanks to everyone who supported Art21 through this fundraiser, in particular Gala Co-Chairs: A G Foundation, Arts, Equity, & Education Fund™, Deborah Beckmann and Jacob Kotzubei, Natan and Jessica Bibliowicz, Jane and James Cohan, Sara Cwynar, James Deutsch, Louise Eliasof and James Sollins, Yaroslav Faybishenko and Jennie Rubinshteyn, Hedy Fischer and Randy Shull, Hauser & Wirth, David Howe and Namiko Kato, Migs and Bing Wright.
The evening generated vital support for Art21’s ongoing mission to educate and expand access to contemporary art through the production of documentary films, resources, and public programs.
To make a donation to Art21, please visit a21.tv/2026-gala.
