ArtsConnection Hosts Annual Gala Hosted By Seth Gilliam This Month

What do box-office star Mark Wahlberg, Emmy award-winner Lena Dunham, Tony award-winners Daveed Diggs and Cyndi Lauper, and television news stars from Anderson Cooper to the great Barbara Walters have in common? ArtsConnection, the 43-year-old arts education nonprofit serving NYC children with comprehensive arts education programs and services. The nonprofit will host Back to School with ArtsConnection Gala on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 from 6:30 - 10:30 PM at IAC Building, 555 W. 18th Street, New York City.

"In school and after school, the work ArtsConnection does, focusing on uplifting students' voices, is vital to NYC public school students. Young people are eager to express themselves and we are honored to provide the programs and mentorship they count on," says Rachel Watts, ArtsConnection's Executive Director.

The 2022 Gala will be hosted by stage and screen star Seth Gilliam (The Walking Dead, The Wire, etc.) and will honor the esteemed champion of the arts, artists, and arts-in-education, Ted Berger, presented by Laurie Cumbo, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. Mr. Berger is an inaugural board member of ArtsConnection, has served on numerous non-profit boards, and has helped to create many national and local initiatives serving artists and arts-in-education.

The 2022 Arts Innovator Awards will be presented to Clayton Calvert and Parker Calvert, and Josh Campbell; and Linda LeRoy Janklow, ArtsConnection Founding Chair, will present The Janklow Awards to Madonna Sang Lee, Arts Liaison and English as a New Language Teacher, PS382, Bronx, and to Amparo Chigui Santiago, ArtsConnection Teaching Artist.

The Gala will welcome up to 250 guests from arts, entertainment, politics and NYC society circles. The evening will include cocktails, seated dinner, award presentation and live music performances by West Village String Quartet and Ruben Gonzalez & Handmade. 2022 Gala Co-Chairs: Erica Friedman and Dr. Josh Friedman, Linda LeRoy Janklow, Lynne Katzmann and Edward Goodell, Caroline Soyoung Kim, Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis, Josephine Magliocco, Debra Harounian Peltz, Guy Stanley Philoche, Lisa and Richard Plepler, Iris and Gary Posternack, Tracey and Robert Pruzan, Tibisay Salerno and Charlie LeHuray-Jones, Amy Sung and Jeff Buick and our Corporate Sponsors: Centerview Partners LLP, Citi, JP Morgan Chase, Soroban Capital Partners LP and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP.

The Gala will be styled by acclaimed event designer and ArtsConnection Board Member David Monn. The Gala will be produced by Bee Season Productions.

Back to School with ArtsConnection Gala hosted by Seth Gilliam

Wednesday, September 21, 2022 ; 6:30 - 10:30 PM

IAC , 555 West 18th Street (at the Westside Highway,) New York, NY 10011

Business / Cocktail Attire preferred

Tickets and Table, ranging from $500 - 50,000 are on available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/back-to-school-with-artsconnection-tickets-373333970957

General donations and more information: https://artsconnection.org/back-to-school-with-artsconnection/