Bill T. Jones & New York Live Arts Will Host Annual Gala in May
This year's celebratory annual fundraiser supports New York Live Arts, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company.
New York Live Arts (Live Arts) and Founding Artistic Director Bill T. Jones have announced the 2026 Annual Gala chaired by Derrick Adams & Michael Chuapoco, and Darnell L. Moore* & Yashua Simmons. This year's celebratory annual fundraiser supports New York Live Arts, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company and the 14-year old organization's operations, programs, residencies, and resources in service to movement-based artists notable for their conceptual rigor, formal experimentation and active engagement with the social, political and cultural urgency of our times. Honoring three illustrious and inspirational women, the evening that's become known for its ravishing performance presentations will also feature Live Arts artist spotlights, a formidable vegetarian dinner by one-of-a-kind BITE Catering, and a live auction featuring exclusive art and experiences. The gala will take place Monday, May 18th at 547 W 26th St, New York, NY 10001, with Cocktails at 6pm and Dinner & Program at 7pm.
As an organization and community of artists New York Live Arts gathers those who understand that the artist is a civic presence. Artists live inside the urgencies of the world, its fractures and its possibilities. This year's gala honors individuals whose work demonstrates how culture moves through many forms and platforms, from the powerful visual language of Mickalene Thomas, to the visionary philanthropy of Sarah Arison, to the cultural leadership shaping global conversation under Samira Nasr. In honoring them, Live Arts affirms the role of the artist and the advocate in defending the necessary space where a more generous future can be insisted upon. On May 18, Live Arts will honor:
Sarah Arison: Sarah Arison is President of Arison Arts Foundation, a private grant-making organization that supports emerging artists and the institutions that foster them. She was immersed in the arts from a young age by her grandparents, visionary philanthropists Ted and Lin Arison, who founded Arison Arts Foundation, YoungArts, and the New World Symphony, among their many philanthropic endeavors.
Arison is active across a broad cross-section of national arts organizations. She is President of the Board of the Museum of Modern Art, and Chair of the Board of YoungArts; she serves on the boards of MoMA PS1, American Ballet Theatre, The Kitchen and Aspen Art Museum; she is a trustee of Lincoln Center, New World Symphony and Serpentine Americas Foundation.
Arison has also ventured into film producing, supporting projects that shed light on lesser known aspects of the arts.
Samira Nasr Samira Nasr has been the Editor-in-Chief of Harper's BAZAAR since July 2020, leading content strategy and development across the brand's print and digital platforms.
Previously, she served as Executive Fashion Director at Vanity Fair, where she oversaw the magazine's fashion content, styling iconic covers such as the Hollywood issue and features with Lupita Nyong'o, Nicole Kidman and more.
Before Vanity Fair, Nasr was the Fashion Director at ELLE and Style Director for InStyle, and she has styled campaigns for brands like Tiffany & Co., Estée Lauder, and Tory Burch.
Nasr began her career in fashion working as an assistant to Grace Coddington, former creative director of Vogue, after earning a graduate degree in Journalism at New York University. She is currently on the board of the National Book Foundation.
Born in Montreal, Canada, Nasr resides in Brooklyn, New York, with her son.
Mickalene Thomas is a celebrated multidisciplinary artist best known for her vibrant, rhinestone-adorned portraits of Black women. Her bold practice—spanning painting, photography, collage, video, and installation—explores the complexities of Black female identity, beauty, and empowerment within the context of the Western art historical canon and the African Diaspora. Drawing on sources ranging from art history to popular culture, Thomas reclaims and reimagines spaces where Black women have historically been excluded or misrepresented.
Beyond her studio practice, Thomas is a Tony-nominated co-producer, educator, curator, and mentor dedicated to uplifting emerging artists and diversifying the art world. She curates exhibitions around the globe, often spotlighting underrepresented voices and challenging dominant narratives in contemporary art. In 2023, she made history as the first Black queer femme artist to have a scholarship endowed in her name at the Yale University School of Art—her alma mater—cementing her influence not only as an artist but as a changemaker in arts education.
Thomas's work is featured in major museum collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Smithsonian, reflecting her powerful contribution to shaping contemporary visual culture.
“What might happen if we create enough spaces like New York Live Arts, where people can rise, sing, move, and imagine together? The room begins to belong to itself. A gathering like New York Live Arts' Annual Gala, however fleeting, becomes something more, a rehearsal for freedom. Sarah Arison, Samira Nasr, and Mickalene Thomas have each helped make spaces like this possible. We are honored to celebrate their vision and leadership,” said Founder and Artistic Director Bill T. Jones.
The Gala will be hosted by internationally renowned cultural strategist and artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph, a TED Global Fellow and former Vice President of Social Impact at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Joseph is widely recognized for his interdisciplinary practice bridging performance, civic engagement, and cultural policy.
Special performances include the fast rising choreography/performance star Kashia Kancey, who was named to Dance Magazine's 2025 “25 To Watch”; Two YoungArts alumni, including 2025 American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal recipient, singer, songwriter, pianist, and historian, Nia Drummond - performing alongside decorated U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Amanda Kirsche; the prolific and endlessly collaborative composer, performer, educator and more, Daniel Bernard Roumain; and Live Arts' historic trailblazing resident company Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, with afterparty music by DJ Just Love.
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