The MacDowell Colony National Benefit 2019:
Made At MacDowell

May 6, 2019

On Monday, May 6th MacDowell artists, supporters, board, and friends gathered at Gotham Hall in New York City to celebrate the power, diversity, and influence of art. We showcased a selection of works Made At MacDowell over the course of the evening where we raised more than half a million dollars for our residency program. All proceeds from the National Benefit support Fellowships for residencies for the more than 300 artists who come to MacDowell each year from all corners of the globe.

Video Excerpts of the Gala

The evening’s Honorary Chairs were Barry Diller and Diane Von Furstenberg, Ava DuVernay, Baz Luhrmann, Anna Deavere Smith, and Sir Patrick Stewart.

Each piece presented was created at, inspired by, or finished at MacDowell during an artist’s residency. Emcee Susan Blackwell* welcomed the crowd and introduced a musical tribute to James Baldwin* by Meshell Ndegeocello. Jiehae Park* introduced an excerpt of her play Peerless performed by Sasha Diamond, Tiffany Villarin, and Adina Verson, and Rodney Evans* shared a section of his film, Vision Portraits. After dinner, Tommy Orange* read from his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel There There with actress Kyla Garcia. The crowd heard speeches from MacDowell Colony Executive Director Cheryl Young, Board President Andrew Senchak, and Incoming Executive Director Philip Himberg. The evening ended with a fabulous paddle raise and a performance by Grace McLean* from her new musical In The Green.

Other program participants in the evening’s festivities included Chris Bruce, Rachel Duddy, Ashley Perez Flanagan, Justin Hicks, Hiroyuki Matsuura, Ada Westfall, and Hannah Whitney.

(*MacDowell Colony Fellow)

Click here for a full video of the evening's program.

For information about sponsoring our 2020 benefit to be held Monday, October 19th at Ziegfeld Ballroom please contact Brett Evan Solomon or call 212.535.9690.

Images from the event

Event attendees, seated at their tables, enjoy performances, speeches, and other pieces of the program. They are in a large, cathedral ceilinged ballroom

(Rudd photo)

A large group of event attendees pose together for a photo

(Scott Rudd photo)

Three performers stand on a dark stage, singing and playing guitars. Above them is a large screen with a portrait of James James Baldwin

(Scott Rudd photo)

Two event attendees pose together for a photo

(Steven Tucker photo)

(Scott Rudd photo)

Three event attendees pose together for a photo

(Scott Rudd photo)

A group of event attendees chat together during cocktail hour

(Scott Rudd photo)

On a dark stage, a person sits in a chair. Above them is a large screen that shows cover art for a book and information about its authors

(Steven Tucker photo)

A Fellow stands beside her painting. The colorful, abstract painting is resting on an easel on top of a table

(Scott Rudd photo)

Four event attendees pose together for a photo

(Scott Rudd photo)

A woman speaks at a podium. She is smiling brightly

(Scott Rudd photo)

A man speaks into a microphone on a dark stage. Above him is a large screen with the name Rodney Evans and an image of a MacDowell studio on it.

(Steven Tucker photo)

(Scott Rudd photo)

A woman speaks into a mircophone on a podium. In the foreground, you can see the onlooking audience

(Scott Rudd photo)

(Steven Tucker photo)

A man speaks into a microphone and gestures with his hand

(Steven Tucker photo)

Four performers on a dark stage. Above them is a large screen with the name Grace Mclean and information about the artist.

(Steven Tucker photo)

(Scott Rudd photo)

Scenes from our 2019 National Benefit

Additional Photographs of The 2019 National Benefit can be found here and here.

Dinner Chairs

Christine and Todd Fisher
Anne Stark Locher and Kurt Locher
Robert and Stephanie Olmsted
Thomas and Babs Putnam
Andrew and Barbara Senchak
Amy Davidson Sorkin and David Sorkin
Peter Wirth

Benefit Patrons

Bill and Bunny Beekman
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Eleanor Briggs
Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman
Elizabeth and Russell Gaudreau
John Hargraves and Nancy Newcomb
Darrell and Robin Harvey
Charles F. Stone III and Theresa Stone
Szilvia Szmuk-Tanenbaum
Helen S. Tucker