MAM Ball

Nearly 600 members of the business, philanthropic, civic and arts communities capped off Miami Art Week/Art Basel Miami Beach at the 2010 Miami Art Museum Ball, raising approximately $700,000 for arts education and public programming. The elegant black-tie affair was held at the Mandarin Oriental, Miami, just days after the groundbreaking ceremony for the Museum’s new, 120,000-square-foot, Herzog & de Meuron-designed home in downtown Miami’s Museum Park. This year’s Ball brought 20 percent more attendees and raised approximately $150,000 more for the nonprofit institution, when compared to last year’s event.

Upon arriving at the Mandarin Oriental, Miami, guests were greeted by MAM Director Thom Collins and Ball Chairs Diane and Robert Moss, both long-time art collectors and patrons of the arts and arts education. Attendees enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while bidding on hundreds of silent auction items including a seven-day Mediterranean escape with The Yachts of Seabourn, a voyage aboard the Queen Elizabeth, Cunard’s newest luxury ocean liner, and a Verdura cuff featuring Cocholong, Turquoise, Pearl and Diamonds. Entertainment included a Bossa Nova band and dancers. During dinner, guests viewed a special media presentation of the Museum’s groundbreaking celebration, and MAM Chairman Aaron Podhurst honored donors to the capital campaign for the new Miami Art Museum in Museum Park.

“We are so grateful to the individuals, foundations and organizations, who have been at the forefront of the construction of the new Miami Art Museum in Museum Park, and who have made significant contributions to the capital campaign,” said MAM Chairman Aaron Podhurst. “Thanks to your foresight and generosity, Miami will finally have the major, world-class art museum it deserves.”

Among the attendees were: City of Miami Commission Chairman Marc D. Sarnoff and former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Katy Sorenson; MAM President Gail Meyers and husband Andrew Hall; MAM Trustee Sari Agatston and husband Dr. Arthur Agatston, South Beach Diet founder; MAM past President Mary Frank and husband Howard Frank, vice chairman and COO of Carnival Corporation; MAM Trustee Susana Ibargüen and husband Alberto Ibargüen, president and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; MAM Trustee and Chairman of The Related Group, Jorge M. Pérez and his wife Darlene Pérez; Maria C. Alonso of Bank of America and husband Alexander Montague of Morgan Stanley; Alvaro Martinez-Fonts of J.P. Morgan; Jody Wolfe of The Mailman Foundation; philanthropists Leonard and Jayne Abess, Ana Laura Arellano, Pamela Garrison and Kirk Landon, Dan and Jan Lewis, Gloria Scharlin, and Mikhail Segal; gallerists Robert Borlenghi and Janda Wetherington, Ramon and Nercys Cernuda, Fredric Snitzer, and Bernice Steinbaum. Miami Art Museum Ball partners included Bacardi, Diageo, Plum TV, Ocean Drive Magazine and Verdura.

Held annually since 1983, the black-tie ball is one of the most anticipated events of the Miami social calendar. Miami Art Museum depends on private donations in addition to public support to help fulfill its role as a civic and cultural institution. More than 50 percent of its annual support comes from corporations, individuals, foundations and members.

Since its inception, Miami Art Museum has worked closely with the community to develop and carry out the largest arts education program, outside the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system. MAM & Schools, presented by Target, serves thousands of participants through the Museum’s free program: free buses to visit the Museum, free guided Museum tours for students and their teachers, free classroom visits, free support materials for teachers at Teacher Workshops, and more.