The event of the season!

Art Ball

Honorees This Year's Theme Event Highlights Your Impact Get Tickets Sponsor Opportunities Sponsors

Join us for an extraordinary evening at The Newark Museum of Art’s annual Art Ball, a cornerstone of New Jersey’s cultural calendar. This year, we honor the vibrant heartbeat of Newark and its profound influence on the fashion industry, from the historical ateliers to today’s runway spectacles.

This year’s Art Ball will take place on

Saturday, May 4, 2024

at The Newark Museum of Art.

Honorees

Each year, the Art Ball shines a spotlight on individuals whose creativity, leadership, and commitment to the arts have made a significant impact on our community and beyond. This year, we are proud to honor exceptional talents who have each, in their unique way, contributed to the cultural and artistic landscape, enriching lives and inspiring minds. Join us as we celebrate their achievements and contributions to the arts.

Nancy Cantor

The Inaugural Beatrice Winser Award

Nancy Cantor, Chancellor of Rutgers University–Newark and Distinguished Professor of Psychology has championed higher education’s responsibility as a civic partner and as an engine for racial equity and growth. Cantor has been lauded for the practical impact of the collaborative, solutions-oriented approach her administration has taken to integrating Rutgers with the city of Newark, its people, its challenges and its considerable strengths. Cantor has held numerous leadership roles at prestigious institutions including serving as Chancellor and President of Syracuse University, chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Michigan.

As a social psychologist, Chancellor Cantor is recognized for scholarly contributions to the understanding of how individuals perceive their social worlds, pursue personal goals, and adapt to challenging social environments. She has served on numerous national boards and won significant awards for innovation in higher education, in the field of psychology and as a noted champion for women and for inclusion, diversity, and full participation in academia. Cantor holds a doctorate in psychology from Stanford University.

Willie Cole

The 2024 Artistic Impact Award

Willie Cole is a contemporary American sculptor, printer, and conceptual and visual artist who is best known for transforming ordinary domestic objects into powerful works of social commentary.

Born in Somerville, Cole moved to Newark as a child and participated in art classes at The Newark Museum of Art. He attended the Arts High School of Newark and earned a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York.

Cole lived and worked in Newark in the ’80s and ’90s and was the Artist in Residence at Express Newark in 2023. He has several pieces in NMOA’s permanent collection, including Sole Sitter and Por La Mesa de Me Abuelita, currently on view. In 2021 he collaborated with Rei Kawakubo on a collection for Comme des Garcons featuring elegant headpieces of black pumps and imaginative prints.

Cole has had numerous solo museum exhibitions including at the Museum of Modern Art, Bronx Museum of the Arts, Miami Art Museum and the University of Wyoming Art and his works have been featured in shows at independent galleries, universities and museums from the Brooklyn Museum to the El Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Cuba.

Mickalene Thomas, Isn't She Lovely, Tracey Norman, 2022. Rhinestones, acrylic and oil paint on canvas mounted on wood panel. Purchase 2022 Collections Exchange Fund, Mr. and Mrs. William V. Griffin Fund, and Helen McMahon Brady Cutting Fund 2022.6 © Mickalene Thomas

This Year's Theme

Our gala coincides with the exciting new exhibition, The Story of Newark Fashion: Atelier to Runway, spotlighting Newark’s historical and ongoing impact on the fashion world. The exhibition honors the city’s role in the legendary 1973 Battle of Versailles, showcasing Newark’s deep roots in the industry.

May 13, 2023 | Art Ball. Photo by Mike Peters.

Event Highlights

6pm: Cocktails and connection.
7pm: Recognition of our distinguished honorees.
8pm: Dining amidst the Museum’s captivating galleries.
9pm: Dessert and dancing, celebrating Newark’s fashion legacy.

Photo by Mike Peters

Your Impact

Art Ball directly supports NMOA’s mission, fostering growth and innovation. Your participation helps us offer unparalleled programming, maintain our extensive collections, and ensure access to art for all. Last year, we raised over $700,000, expanding our community reach and enhancing our offerings.

Donate

Sponsor Opportunities

Sponsoring Art Ball 2024 is an unparalleled opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to the arts and to the community, ensuring the Museum continues to be a beacon of culture, education, and inspiration. Each sponsorship level offers unique benefits, from exclusive experiences and significant brand visibility to meaningful engagement with our diverse and sophisticated audience.

To explore these opportunities further and find the perfect fit for your goals, please contact Audrey Carmeli at acarmeli@newarkmuseumart.org or call 973.596.5158.

Download the 2024 Art Ball Sponsorship Kit

Presenting | $250,000

VIP experience for twenty (20) guests, Presenting Sponsor and logo recognition in Art Ball 2024 social media channels (4.8M impressions) and event program. Recognition inannual report. Presenting Sponsor and logo recognition on Art Ball 2024 web page. Prominent recognition on funders panel in NMOA Welcome Center. Free admission to The Newark Museum of Art for all employees and three (3) guests for one year; VIP tickets to NMOA exhibition openings; one private after-hours Museum tour, one complimentary rental of the Engelhard Court for a corporate event; bespoke virtual experiences/employee enrichment opportunities, and one private Shop event with champagne.

Visionary | $100,000

VIP experience for twenty (20) guests, logo recognition in Art Ball 2024 social media channels (4.8M impressions) and event program. Recognition in annual report. Logo recognition on Art Ball 2024 web page. Prominent recognition on funders panel in NMOA Welcome Center. Free admission to The Newark Museum of Art for all employees and three (3) guests for one year; VIP tickets to NMOA exhibition openings; one private after-hours Museum tour, one complimentary rental of the Engelhard Court for a corporate event; and bespoke virtual experiences/employee enrichment opportunities.

Leadership | $50,000

Exclusive experience for ten (10) guests, recognition in Art Ball 2024 social media channels (4.8M impressions), event program, and annual report. Logo recognition on Art Ball 2024 web page. Prominent recognition on funders panel in NMOA Welcome Center. Free admission to The Newark Museum of Art for all employees and three (3) guests for one year; VIP tickets to NMOA exhibition openings; and one private after-hours Museum tour.

Sponsor | $25,000

Preferred experience for ten (10) guests, recognition in Art Ball 2024 social media channels (4.8M impressions), event program, and annual report. Logo recognition on Art Ball 2024 web page. Prominent recognition on funders panel in NMOA Welcome Center. Free admission to The Newark Museum of Art for all employees and three (3) guests for one year; and VIP tickets to NMOA exhibition openings.

Patron | $10,000

Art Ball Experience for four (4) guests; Free admission to The Newark Museum of Art for all employees for one year; Listing in Art Ball 2024 webpage, event program, and annual report.

Gold Ticket | $2,500

Art Ball experience for one (1) guest ($2,200 tax-deductible). Listing in Art Ball 2024 event program and annual report.