Inside the Whitney’s 2026 Art Party: Turning Up the Heat for New York’s Next Gen Patrons
The Whitney Art Party’s theme this year called for “loud patterns,” and loud it was. The museum’s Kenneth C. Griffin Hall, from the moment the doors opened earlier this week, quickly filled with a well-heeled, creatively dressed crowd. Guests jockeyed for space to get in on the familiar art-world small talk, competing with the vibrant rhythms of Latino and Mexican music remixed live by artist Raúl de Nieves, who held forth at the console for the first stretch of the night. This party, as per usual, skewed notably younger than most museum galas, striking a rare balance between influencers and socialites on one side and the more endemic mix of art professionals, artists, collectors, patrons and enthusiasts on the other, offering a telling glimpse of what the art world’s next round of movers and shakers will look like.
The Art Party is, after all, the Whitney’s long-running annual benefit designed to court younger patrons—typically creatives and professionals in their 20s through to their early 40s—functioning both as a fundraising event and a gateway into the Whitney as a space for cultural participation.
Co-hosting this year’s edition were Ego Nwodim, Martine Gutierrez and Emma Safir, alongside Whitney Contemporaries Steven Beltrani and Alexander Hankin, and stylist Micaela Erlanger, in her 10th year as co-chair—a milestone that underscored her long-standing commitment to the museum. “Over the years, I’ve watched the Whitney—and this event—grow, evolve and continually reflect the creative energy of New York,” Erlanger said in a statement, noting how the city is always reinventing itself and how the Art Party remains one of her favorite places to see that dynamic spirit come alive. “The energy at last night’s Whitney Art Party was electric,” echoed Hankin. “A sold-out event with everyone fully embracing the maximalist vibe! It was an evening that I couldn’t have been prouder of.”
That energy was unmistakably present again this year, especially when New York City’s first lady, Rama Duwaji, made a brief appearance toward the end of the evening. She and her husband, Mayor Zoran Mamdani, have quickly come to embody the aspirations of a new generation of New Yorkers—particularly those rooted in the creative sectors she herself belongs to.
“The energy last night was so strong,” confirmed Molly Krause, who represents powerhouse female dealers including Marianne Boesky and Lévy Gorvy and serves as both co-chair of Whitney Contemporaries and a member of the benefit committee. “One thing I love about the Art Party—I think it’s my 10th one, the pandemic hiatus is kind of a blur though—is that everyone shows up with the attitude of wanting to meet new people and bond over art,” she said. “It’s the most unpretentious art event of the season in my mind. I always meet interesting new people, and this year was no exception.”
Wrapped in a floor-length, tiered, sculptural dress composed of bold, candy-colored horizontal bands—a Christopher Raxxy gown borrowed from the closet of Danielle Hankin—Krause was hard to miss amid the camera flashes. The only downside: the dress’s dramatic proportions required her to remain stationed at the entrance, greeting guests. “Normally, one of my favorite things to do during an Art Party is browse the permanent collection after hours, but I knew my dress was going to be too big to walk around in this year,” she said, adding that she had preemptively visited the museum the weekend before with her toddler and husband to catch the exhibitions.
The galleries remained open throughout the night, allowing visitors to move through the museum with greater attention and far less crowding, lingering over masterpieces from the collection on view in “‘Untitled’ (America)” on the seventh floor. One could get lost in the layered physicality of The Rose by Jay Defeo, now back on view, as well as exhibitions like “High Wire: Calder’s Circus at 100,” which presents the complete Calder’s Circus through March 8 and offered an unexpectedly emotional and resonant counterpoint to the electrically ecstatic tone of the evening. With its extreme economy of means and radical simplicity, the work reveals—beneath the apparent naivety and playfulness of its fantastical figures—a deep sense of human fragility in the face of trauma and violence, an alarmingly apt reflection of the precarious geopolitical moment marking the start of the year.
Nonetheless, with its bold call for prints and patterns, the party revived a genuine sense of playful creativity, offering attendees a window of color and relief amid the relentless flow of dramatic news. “The Whitney art party was electric, and it felt as if everyone in attendance was in competition with the works of art for the boldest look of the night,” Gabrielle Richardson, another committee host, told Observer. Even if some looks felt lifted from last year’s playbook or recycled—with many outfits nodding to the ’70s, as the previous edition had invited—the night succeeded in transporting everyone into a more suspended, cheerful dimension, celebrating the power of art through creative play and imagination.
“The energy at the Whitney Art Party felt creative, curious, and alive. It was one of those nights where art, people, and experience all collided most genuinely,” Hayley River Smith, director of Scope and a member of the hosting committee, told Observer. River Smith also went all-in on the artist-first ethos, wearing a beautifully colored metal-chained top by FBF Metal Atelier, designed by artist Friday Lynton.
Other members of this year’s hosting committee included Edward Barsamian, Malcolm Carfrae, Rose Carlisle, Jade Croonenberghs, CULTURED, Sarah Daoui, Kate Davidson Hudson, Peter Davis, Sophie Elgort, Sasha Gordon, Sarah Hoover, Logan Horne, Danya Issawi, Sebastian Jean, Dr. Amanda Kahn, Lotus L. Kang, Elizabeth Kurpis, Doron Langberg, Agosto Machado, Ian Malone, Sophie Yun Mancini, Meredith Marks, Matteo Mobilio, Lilah Ramzi, Hilary Rhoda, Gabrielle Richardson, Nicolaia Rips, Haley River Smith, Céline Semaan, Daphne Seybold, Priya Shukla, Dani Stahl, Claire Stern Milch, Andrew Taylor, Elise Taylor, Kodie-Ann Walcott, Frank Wang Yefeng and John Wattiker. The benefit committee roster was a similar list of dynamic young figures like Frederick Baba, Michael Costelloe, Jonathan Densa, Jeremy L. Goldstein, Casey Kohlberg, Claire X. Lin, Hannah Rose McNeely, John Ng, George Petrocheilos, Diamantis Xylas, Heather Ripley, Akash Shah, Todd White and Cameron Carani.
Among the other notables Observer spotted during the night were media personalities such as Ariana Biermann, Leo Braudy, Ava Dash, Sai De Silva, Emira D’Spain, Erin Lichy, Brooks Marks, Georgia McCann, Martha Stewart and Jessel Taank. The fashion world also made an appearance—we spotted models Sarah Daoui, Gabrielle Richardson, Dylana Lim Suarez and Natalie Lim Suarez, as well as designers and stylists such as Alexis Badiyi, Jennifer Fisher, Nina Tiari and Timo Weiland. Among the arty types, museum supporters like Miyoung Lee and Fern Tessler showed up, greeted by the Whitney’s Chrissie Iles and Christiane Paul, along with the museum’s director, Scott Rothkopf.
As drinks flowed and small bites circulated, the pre-show eventually gave way to the main performance, with The Dare taking the stage. The crowd surged forward to vibe with the singer-songwriter and producer, whose 2024 debut album, What’s Wrong With New York? cemented his breakout status.
Despite arctic temperatures and the lingering impact of the snowstorm that swept through the city over the weekend, this year’s Art Party guests were in it for the long haul, dancing and chatting until midnight, and reaffirming that the creative energy fueling New York is alive and well in a new generation of museum supporters.
Younger audiences have been a strategic priority for the Whitney in recent years, especially following Julie Mehretu’s donation of more than $2 million, which enabled the museum to offer free admission to visitors aged 25 and under for the next three years. As one member of the Whitney’s education staff confirmed in conversation, the museum is also keenly aware of its proximity to the L train, positioning it just a short ride from the Brooklyn neighborhoods where many young creatives now live. How the Whitney not only attracts but retains this audience—transforming the museum into a recurring site of cultural and human exchange and eventually encouraging philanthropic participation—will play a defining role in shaping the institution’s future.