On April 9, the Public Art Fund held their annual Public Art Fund party and after-party, celebrating the non-profit’s 2025 artists. The organization’s largest fundraiser fuels its mission to bring contemporary art to all of New York City’s five boroughs.
(Olivia LiCalzi for BFA Public Art Fund).
Taking place at the Metropolitan Pavilion, the party featured a silent auction with work by 41 contemporary artists and dinner by Canard Inc. with notable guests like Marcela Guerrero, the assistant curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, and Patricia E. Harris, the chief executive officer at Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Artist Paul Anthony Smith acted as the creative director for the after-party, which celebrated liberation and play through art, featuring whimsical desserts, Ping-Pong games and DJ sets from performers MeLo-X and Juliana Huxtable.
DJ Juliana Huxtable (Olivia LiCalzi for BFA Public Art Fund).
Guests were treated to artist-designed ping pong paddles by artists Carlos H. Matos, Ilana Harris-Babou, Las Hermanas Iglesias, Moko Fukuyama and Amalia Pica. Their creations preview the organization’s upcoming exhibit opening at Rockaway Beach in summer 2026. The exhibit, named “Between Tides,” will feature sculptured Ping-Pong tables open to the public.
(Olivia LiCalzi for BFA Public Art Fund.)
The after-party highlighted Artist Carmen Winant’s immersive portrait experience, a project that used photos of guests to form a backdrop collage installation as the night continued. The exhibit captured the collective effort made by donors and creatives to preserve contemporary art.
Susan Lee, Lisa Iglesias at Photo Activation by Carmen Winant. (Olivia LiCalzi for BFA Public Art Fund).
The after-party’s eccentric decorations and inventive beverages added to the fun. The event also featured a specialty ice cream bar from Chef Malcolm Livingston II, the co-founder of Ghetto Gastro.
With vibrant decor, lovely libations and playful activities, the Public Art Fund party and after-party encapsulated the playful and experimental spirit of contemporary art.
