Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) honored Craig Robins and Jackie Soffer during the 12th annual Art of the Party, the museum’s largest fundraising event. The evening brought together Miami’s community of artists, philanthropists, civic leaders, and arts supporters to celebrate the pair’s visionary leadership at the intersection of art and design. The event raised $2 million in support of the museum’s robust arts education program—the largest of its kind outside the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system—in addition to funding PAMM’s broader mission. The evening featured a seated dinner on PAMM’s East Portico followed by an after-party on the museum’s waterfront terrace, featuring a live set by DJ Ruckus.

As longtime PAMM supporters, Robins and Soffer have enriched the museum’s collection with more than 300 donated works and helped shape its vision as board members, co-chairs, and champions of Miami’s creative community. In celebration of their impact, PAMM honored Robins and Soffer throughout the evening and gifted them a print donated by the American artist Bisa Butler.

The evening also featured the presentation of the seventh annual Pérez Prize, a $50,000 unrestricted award recognizing an artist whose work advances global artistic dialogue. Annually funded by a gift from Miami-based art patrons Jorge and Darlene Pérez, this year’s recipient was Javier Téllez, a New York-based and Venezuelan-born artist whose incisive work grapples with representations of mental illness, the meaning of sanity, and the marginalized communities affected by these categorizations.

“Seven years into the Pérez Prize, we’re reminded why this commitment matters more than ever. Artists, especially those who amplify underrepresented voices, deserve meaningful recognition and support,” said Darlene Pérez. “Javier’s work approaches a highly charged, highly timely topic through a deeply personal lens, creating space for dialogue around challenges too often overlooked. We’re honored to support his practice and see this award bring attention to artists whose work resonates far beyond the museum walls.”

“Craig and Jackie have transformed Miami through their visionary leadership in art, design, and community building. We’re honored to recognize their enduring contributions and to celebrate the generosity of those who make nights like this possible,” said Franklin Sirmans, Sandra and Tony Tamer director at PAMM. “We’re also thrilled to honor Javier Téllez with this year’s Pérez Prize, thanks to Jorge and Darlene Pérez. Javier’s practice confronts the realities of mental illness with empathy and urgency—an issue of growing significance in our time. We’re proud to play a part in sustaining the power and reach of his work.”

2025 Art of the Party Chairs

Darlene and Jorge M. Pérez
Dorothy and Aaron Podhurst

Host Committee

Co-Chairs: Alexa and Adam Wolman, Jessica and Franklin Sirmans
Sarah Arison and Thomas Wilhelm
Arlene and Wayne Chaplin
Jose M. Daes
Matthew B. Gorson
Camille and W. Patrick McDowell
Brandon Moore
Upacala Mapatuna and Quinn Morgan
Silvia Ortiz
Pete Scantland
Sandra and Tony Tamer
NextGen Committee
Co-Chairs: Illianna Acosta, Christopher Adeleke, Marcel Anderson, Gloria Hernando, Desert Horse-Grant,
Karim Simplis
Anthony T. Abraham
Mischaël Cetoute
Daniela Cimo
Monica Defortuna
Dahlia Dreszer
Wendy François and Kevin Michael
Alexandra Gonzalez Burke and James Burke
Ellie Hayworth and Patrick Murray
Warren Ho
Ebba Holm Cinotti
Reyna Noriega
Ariel Penzer Milgroom
Veronica Sesana Grajales
Eden Xu-Martinez and Steve Martinez