There’s only one room in New York where you can get a perfectly cooked fillet steak, a glimpse of Alan Cumming being awarded an honorary college degree, and an up-close look of some of the most compelling art of this generation—and that’s at the Tribeca Ball. 

On Monday evening, the New York Academy of Art threw open its doors for its annual gala, supported by Van Cleef & Arpels, letting the first real hint of spring drift through its storied halls. From 6 p.m. onward, guests circulated through the studios with spritzes and margaritas in hand, pausing to peruse works by the Academy’s cohort of one hundred MFA students, sit for tarot readings, or pick up armfuls of curated bouquets from Lauren Burke Flowers.

Tables of food were styled like art installations themselves—tartlets dotted with tiny peas, heaps of green crudités, cucumber sandwiches, and oranges hollowed out for summery sorbet. As the evening shifted, stilt-walking performers from House of Yes pointed the way downstairs. A crowd including Cynthia Rowley, William Abadie, Will Cotton, and Rose Dergan made their way to the seated dinner, where hand-painted pastel murals framed airy tablescapes, transforming the lower level into a garden party-style setting.

Actor Chris Hanke led a lively paddle round as plates of flower-adorned asparagus soup were quietly placed down. “I have no problem asking for money—my parents still pay for my gym membership,” he joked, prompting laughs and helping push the evening’s total fundraising efforts past $900,000. The New York Academy of Art relies on this generosity to sustain its rigorous training and broaden access for emerging artists. Past honorees of the Tribeca Ball have included Amy Sherald,  Robert De Niro, and Eric Fischl, and Cumming was ready to follow in their footsteps. The Scottish star delivered a characteristically vibrant speech and finished with praise for Russell Wilkinson and his wife Eileen Guggenheim, who is stepping down after two decades as the board chair.

As desert was served, hot ticket items including escapes to the Cotswolds and the South of France were auctioned off to bidders while other guests returned upstairs—some for a nightcap, but many for a final glimpse at the art.