The 2026 Whitney Gala Raised $6.3 Million for the Museum

Honoring acclaimed contemporary artist Julie Mehretu, Whitney Board Chair Fern Kaye Tessler, and Director Emeritus Adam D. Weinberg, the 2026 Whitney Gala raised $6.3 million for the museum's influential exhibitions and educational programming. Commencing on the Whitney's eighth floor with a sociable cocktail hour, the soirée settled into a seated dinner along the museum's ground-floor lobby—where David Stark Design and Production directed the spectacular decor. Weinberg, Tessler, and Mehretu all delivered thoughtful speeches, with the latter two adorned with jewelry pieces from presenting sponsor, CADAR.