Photos: NYU Tisch School Of The Arts Marks 60th Anniversary At 2026 Gala

Hundreds of alumni, donors, and supporters gathered at Cipriani South Street for the NYU Tisch School of the Arts 2026 Gala, celebrating the school’s 60th anniversary and raising nearly $2 million to support student initiatives. The event also marked the first year under the leadership of Dean Rubén Polendo.

The gala honored Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and Tisch professor Suzan-Lori Parks and Cristóbal Valenzuela, co-founder and co-CEO of Runway. Attendees included NYU President Linda G. Mills, Provost Georgina “Gigi” Dopico, and playwright Tony Kushner, along with faculty, alumni, and artists.

“[Our students] are pursuing inspiring questions, they're building bridges across disciplines, they're pushing boundaries and are innovating new forms, new languages and new futures,” said Polendo. “The future is already taking shape in Our Studios, rehearsal groups, sound stages, writing labs, performance spaces, and classrooms.”

“Humans are storytellers, and all of nature tells stories,” said Parks. “When you support the arts, either by being an artist, or by being a patron, you're supporting the most fundamental of human activities.”

Valenzuela reflected on the relationship between art and technology, noting that artists play a critical role in shaping how new tools are understood and used.

The evening featured performances by current Tisch students, including the N’Harmonics a cappella group, and highlighted the breadth of Tisch’s programs across disciplines such as acting, film, design, and interactive media.

Founded in 1965, the NYU Tisch School of the Arts has developed a global reputation for training artists across multiple fields, with alumni working across film, theater, music, and media.

Photo Credit: NYU Tisch School of the Arts