Inspired by the Museum’s outstanding collection of Abstract Expressionist art and Truman Capote’s legendary 1966 “Party of the Century,” the Princeton University Art Museum will host its annual fundraising Gala on Saturday, February 6, 2010. This year’s event, the elegant Black and White Ball, will begin at 6 p.m. with cocktails at the Art Museum, followed by dinner and dancing at 8 p.m. at Prospect House, adjacent to the Museum. In addition to providing essential financial support for the Museum’s educational and outreach programs, this year’s Gala honors Director James Steward, who joined the Museum in April. 

 

“Maureen [Barna, Gala cochair] and I are thrilled to be heading the Black and White Ball this year; it is always one of the highlights of the Princeton social calendar,” says Gala cochair Regina Brett. “Aside from being a marvelous evening, the Gala is a wonderful opportunity to draw attention to the Museum and the groundbreaking educational programs it offers.”

 

Committed to connecting campus life with broader audiences of all ages, interests, and cultural backgrounds, the Museum strives to ensure that the visual arts are a part of the educational experiences at Princeton, and to extend its reach to the local, national, and international community. Funds raised by the Gala allow the Museum to offer programs that encourage lifelong learning, excite the imagination, and create a uniquely welcoming environment that bridges scholarship and public engagement. Thanks to its generous patrons, the Museum’s educational and outreach programs offer a gateway to the arts for all visitors — scholars and second graders alike — at no charge.

 

“Income from the Museum’s annual Gala goes directly toward underwriting programs such as outreach to regional schools, lectures for adult visitors, family programming, and teacher workshops,” notes Steward. “In the current financial climate, such programs might well be at risk were it not for those who support the Gala and, we hope, enjoy a great evening of fine art and fine food at the same time.”

 

“The moment Regina and I saw Willem de Kooning’s Black Friday in the Museum’s galleries, we knew we wanted to host a black and white ball,” says Barna, “and tying it to Capote’s party seemed a natural extension of the theme. It gives us such a wealth of inspiration.” The ball will feature the acclaimed Alex Donner Orchestra for the first time, and this year's guests will enjoy signature cocktails and cuisine that evoke the flavor of Manhattan society in the 1950s and 1960s.

 

Early sponsors include Mr. and Mrs. James E. Burke; Bill and Judith Scheide; Ernestine and Herbert Ruben; Bloomberg, L.P.; Munich Re America; PNC Wealth Management; and Hamilton Jewelers, which in addition to a significant financial contribution, will provide the guests’ gifts for the event. 

For more information about the Friends Benefit Gala, or to purchase tickets, please contact Jennifer Fekete-Donners, administrator of the Friends, at (609) 258-3762 or friends@princeton.edu. A portion of each ticket is a tax-deductible, nonrefundable contribution to the Friends of the Princeton University Art Museum.