Calder, Cocktails, and Cultural Elation at the 2026 Whitney Art Party

DJ sets by The Dare and contemporary artist Raúl de Nieves weren’t just a backdrop for the 2026 Whitney Art Party; they were a glitzy call to action. The highly anticipated annual affair—once again complete with a Maestro Dobel Tequila elevator bar that whisked guests up to private museum access—is known not as a quiet institutional gathering but as a cultural celebration that invites the art, design, fashion, and philanthropic communities to mingle. Though partygoers made bombastic use of the museum’s ground floor, they also indulged in quiet reflection on the eighth floor, where the “High Wire: Calder’s Circus at 100” exhibition will remain open through March 9.