Southampton Arts Center’s Annual Patrons Circle Dinner Brings Philanthropic And Artistic Community Together
Funds raised to support community building through the arts
On Friday, August 20, Southampton Arts Center [SAC – southamptonartscenter.org] hosted its second annual Patrons Circle Dinner, sponsored by Graff, in the iconic Caesar Garden as an intimate appreciation dinner attended and supported by new and old friends alike. This critical fundraising event is responsible for more than one-third of SAC’s annual contributed income.
Simone Levinson, SAC founding co-chair, greeted guests at the dinner, which was held in lieu of the organizations’ annual SummerFest Gala. “Over 10 years ago as the founders of Southampton Arts Center and I sat around my kitchen table, we set out to establish the Village of Southampton as an arts district. Here we are today in our ninth season thriving in our mission to build community through the arts. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, we had attracted over 50,000 visitors to our 250 programs each year. Today, our neighbors include Christie’s, The Peter Marino Art Foundation, Hauser and Wirth, Phillips, and Southampton African American Museum. As much as we have accomplished with the support of partners and friends, we know there are still so many new opportunities that lie ahead. We have not come this far, just to come this far!”
SAC trustee Elyn Kronemeyer added “We are incredibly fortunate to have a dedicated and generous group of individuals that have continued to support this institution,” Kronemeyer said of the event. “This smaller, more intimate dinner served as a way to show our appreciation and gratitude for their support of arts, culture, and our community. It was a truly beautiful, special evening.”
SAC executive director Tom Dunn commented at the dinner, “Whether it’s National Geographic’s Photo Ark, 2020 Vision with the New York Academy of Art, Peter Marino’s Counterpoint, our celebrated East End Collected series, our outdoor films or silent discos, or now, BEYOND THE STREETS on PAPER, it all goes back to our mission. We partner with world class organizations and we present work that matters to this community. Art that inspires, that informs, and that serves as an economic driver. And it’s all with the intention of strengthening our community through the arts.”
In the stunning, recently renovated Caesar Garden, 70+ of the East End’s most philanthropic patrons enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, followed by an intimate seating dinner, catered by Acquolina. Guests included Simone and David Levinson, J. Whitney Stevens, Elyn and Jeff Kronemeyer, Dorothy Lichtenstein, Marc Hruschka, president and CEO of GRAFF USA, Peter Marino, Anja Vacca, Barbara Tober, and Rick Friedman.
Additional guests included Diana Aceti, Clare Bell, Amanda Bessette, David Bohnett, Charles Bowman, Jill Braufman, Troy Buckner, Greg D’Elia, Lorraine de Tymowska, Kathy Deane, Tarara Dean-Krantz, Tucker Deane-Krantz, Elizabeth Duggal, Mark Fichandler, Aurora Fisher, Mimi Fitzgerald, Rick Friedman, Martha Gundersen, Jane Held, Sylvia Hemingway, Lucia Hwomg Gordon, Lana Jokel, Ursula Kalish, Cheri Kaufman, Agha Khan, Richard Krantz, Daniela Kronemeyer, Elizabeth Lear, Joseph Liu, Christina Madden, Juan Carlos Menendez, Joe Messina, Jessie Mezzacappa, Paton Miller, Nancy Miller, Jennifer Moore, Daniel Nir, Nancy O’Connor, Catherine Philbin, Charlotte Pilaro, Fairley Pilaro, Frank Quevedo, Aima Raza, Dorothy Reilly, Michael Reilly, Nicole Salmasi, Angie Samii, Siamak Samii, Ada Samuellson, William Sclight, Jean Shafiroff, Martin Shafiroff, Chris Smith, Genevieve Snow, Steven Stolman, Elizabeth Strong Cuevas, Marge Sullivan, Alan Taghipour, Leonard Tourne, Paul Travis, Helena Vahradian, Rob Vahradian, Paula Viscogliosi, Anthony Viscogliosi, Cindy Lou Wakefield, Brooke Wall, Darren Wang, Kenneth Wang, Rich Wilkie, Missi Williams, Justine Witzke, Linda Yarden, Jessie Zhou, and John Zieman.
Media support for this event was provided Hamptons Magazine and Purist.
Located in the heart of Southampton Village, SAC’s work as the leading arts and culture center provides rich and diverse programming year-round. Select Southampton Arts Center programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The SAC Summer Stage is sponsored by Primary Care and Reproductive Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian. BEYOND THE STREETS on PAPER is sponsored by Vistaprint, Hamptons Magazine, and Epiphany Collective, with support from Ingrid Arneberg and Will Marin. WHIMSY is sponsored by Hauser and Wirth, with additional support from Marlborough Gallery and James Lane Post. FILM @ SAC is sponsored by Brown Harris Stevens, with additional public funding from Suffolk County. KIDS @ SAC is sponsored by Investors Bank. Additional support comes from Southampton Bath and Tennis Club. Celebrity Autobiography is sponsored by Dan’s Papers. Mountainfilm on Tour is hosted by Elyn and Jeff Kronemeyer, and sponsored, in part, by Dr. Paula Angelone and Gerald Rosengarten. Financial Literacy Partner: J.P. Morgan Private Bank.
ABOUT SOUTHAMPTON ARTS CENTER
Southampton Arts Center is committed to community building through the arts. We present and produce inspiring, inclusive, socially and regionally relevant programs across all disciplines – welcoming, connecting, and collaborating with the diverse members of New York’s East End community and beyond. SAC is a not for profit 501(c)(3) organization.
For more information about Southampton Arts Center, located at 25 Jobs Lane, Southampton, New York 11968, visit southamptonartscenter.org or call 631.283.0967. Follow SAC on Facebook and Instagram @southamptonartscenter. For press inquiries, contact Rachel Bosworth via email at rachel@rachelbosworth.com or by phone at 631.220.1220.
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