Phoenix Art Museum’s The pARTy raises nearly $900,000

The Phoenix Art Museum celebrated its annual fundraiser event, The pARTy, on Jan. 28 with  nearly 250 people filling the museum and raising almost $900,000, which will benefit the museum’s exhibitions, education programs and vital operations.

The event honored Patsy Tarr, president of the 2wice Arts Foundation and the founder and publisher of 2wice magazines and books, who gifted over 300 custom-made Geoffrey Beene ensembles to the museum in 2020, helping to establish Phoenix Art Museum as one of the nation’s leading institutions with holdings of Beene’s designs, now housed in the institution’s Geoffrey Beene Archive.

Guests enjoyed cocktails in the Katz Wing for Modern Art, a seated dinner in Cummings Great Hall, live entertainment and dancing. This year’s event was chaired by Ellen and Howard Katz.

“We are deeply grateful to the many sponsors, attendees, and longtime Museum supporters who made the 2023 pARTy at Phoenix Art Museum a resounding success,” said Jeremy Mikolajczak, the Museum’s Sybil Harrington Director and CEO.

Mikolajczack cited the work of the event's co-chairs Ellen and Howard Katz for a successful fundraising drive.

"Through their efforts, the museum raised a near-record-breaking $900,000 in support of vital operations, exhibitions, and education programming that will continue to expand access to art for our community," he said.

The evening also marked the premier of "MOVE: The Modern Cut of Geoffrey Beene," which features garments Tarr gifted to the museum in 2020.

The exhibit was organized by Phoenix Art Museum with the support of Authentic Brands Group, and curated by Helen Jean, the museum’s Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion Design, the major fashion exhibition showcases colorful, imaginative garments by the late designer and provides an intimate view into his career and process.

Beene’s designs span three galleries. The exhibition was made possible through the generosity of major sponsors Ellen and Howard C. Katz, partner sponsor The Virginia M. Ullman Foundation, and contributing sponsors Miriam and Yefim Sukhman.

Additional support is provided by KJZZ/KBACH, Arizona Costume Institute, the Kelly Ellman Fashion Design Endowment Fund, and Kimpton Hotel Palomar.

Since its inception in 2007, the Phoenix Art Museum’s annual fundraiser, The pARTy, has raised more than $10 million in support of Phoenix Art Museum.