YoungArts Gala Returned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to Uplift the Artists of Today and Tomorrow

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The spring gala season is certainly back in full swing. On Tuesday evening, one of its most anticipated events returned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art as YoungArts took over the institution for its annual benefit, raising over $1 million towards furthering the careers of artists across every discipline.

The night began with a reception in the museum’s soaring Great Hall, where guests were serenaded by the sounds of pianist Sam Towse. A “creative cocktail” dress code allowed attendees to play with color and silhouette, from Your Friends & Neighbors star Mark Tallman’s polo and long shorts set to Jamie Singer Soros’ vibrant buttoned dress by Christopher John Rogers.

Attendees first mingled over zesty tuna rice, macaroni and cheese squares, and Champagne during the celebration, which aims to provide lifelong support for the organization’s awardees beginning in high school and college. One person singing their praises was Misty Copeland, an honorary chair for the evening and a previous YoungArts Arison Award recipient herself. “The organization is so aligned with everything that I stand for and the values I have,” she told Vogue. “Their support is so meaningful, as is their understanding of the importance of having mentorship and guidance in your journey as an artist.”

As the sun set, the crowd made their way into the ever-impressive Temple of Dendur for a seated dinner. Transformed by candlelight and elegant white blooms, the space hosted multiple performances from various YoungArts alumni—including a musician playing a 16th century violin loaned from the museum’s own archive.

For Sarah Arison, YoungArts’ chair of the board who joined the organization in the footsteps of her late grandmother, YoungArts cofounder Marilyn Arison, the magic is in “seeing the range of disciplines and how intergenerational it all is.” She told Vogue, “You’ll have a winner from a year ago and a winner from 15 years ago onstage together. You really feel what YoungArts is at its core because of that.”

Midway through the meal, Marisa Tomei accepted this year’s Arison Award, both for her influence in film and her longtime support of YoungArts. The actress’s remarks included a special memory of meeting students back in 2013 where she answered questions from a particularly chatty pupil—who, in fact, was Timothée Chalamet. (The actor would go on to be supported by the organization as a YoungArts Award recipient, joining the likes of Viola Davis, Hunter Schafer, Daniel Arsham, Andrew Rannells, and Amanda Gorman.)

“It certainly continues to grow spectacularly every single year,” Clive Chang, president and CEO of YoungArts, told Vogue. “It’s amazing to see so many young people raise their hands to say, ‘I want to be an artist,’ and that’s why we exist. We want every single young person in the world who has an artistic inclination to go and pursue it and build a life as an artist—and we’re going to support them for the rest of their lives.”

The night was complete with devil’s food cake for dessert, as well as a final dance performance from YoungArts alumni. “There’s no way that you can walk away from this and not feel some emotional pull or want to invest in some way in young artists,” Copeland concluded. “You get to see the work, and you get to see the proof of what it does for an artist. I know that people are going to walk out tonight understanding what the mission is and understanding the impact.”