Neil Rasmus/BFA.
Last night, the Art Production Fund rang in 25 years of championing public art with a slumber party-themed gala at Manhattan’s storied Seagram Building—cementing its reputation yet again as the go-to for unforgettable art-world fêtes.
Hosted in collaboration with Saks Fifth Avenue, the event welcomed more than 300 revelers who traded cocktail dresses for feathered pajamas and matching eye masks, spreading out on cozy beds scattered throughout the modernist landmark while sipping free-flowing champagne. Executive Director Casey Fremont and Director of Operations Kathleen Lynch presided over an eclectic crowd, including actors Sophia Bush, Thomas Doherty, and Waris Ahluwalia; design maven Athena Calderone; RHONY star Sai de Silva; fashion editor Tonne Goodman; director and photographer Francesco Carrozzini; designers Stacey Bendet, Cynthia Rowley, and Frances Howie; and tastemakers Ivy Getty and Nicky Rothschild—all embracing the dreamy dress code.
The annual gathering was brimming with whimsical flair, from cotton candy Buggy Bear sculptures by Alake Shilling to a full gamut of cocktails (think cucumber martinis and dirty shirleys). Attendees flipped through a bedtime storybook program designed by Angelica Hicks before witnessing “Sonnambula,” a new performance commissioned by Madeline Hollander, which ended with dancers “falling asleep” in the center of THE POOL.
By the night’s end, nearly $700,000 had been raised to support the Art Production Fund’s mission of commissioning and producing ambitious public art projects. All proceeds from the evening support public commissions that bring artists’ visions to life, underscoring the non-profit’s unwavering commitment to expanding art’s reach—and proving that when creative minds gather in pajamas, the possibilities are truly endless.
