Rob Giardinelli
A Dazzling Fusion Of Art, Glamour & Golden-Age Nightlife Lights Up The Museum’s Biggest Celebration Of The Year
By Rob Giardinelli Photography by Matthew Reeves/Bfa.com and Victor Arriola/Bfa.com
THE SCENE: A beautiful evening on the expansive grounds of Laguna Gloria was the setting for one of Austin’s most anticipated and successful annual signature fundraising events. Over 400 top art patrons, community leaders, sociables, and philanthropists from Central Texas and beyond were on hand for Art Dinner 2025. Benefiting The Contemporary Austin, the night featured great art, spectacular fashion, great food, and dazzling musical performances that have taken this storied event to a whole other level.
THE VIBE: The crowd wholeheartedly embraced the black-tie disco attire. In the crowd, one could spot sequins in metallics and nearly every color of the rainbow, as well as tuxedos in a range of textures. What united every ensemble was a playful energy that made the entire event feel warm and welcoming.
As guests walked up towards the Driscoll villa, they knew they were in for a very special evening. Revelers began the night with Austin’s best gala cocktail hour. The approximately 270 guests who were on hand for the Art Dinner enjoyed cocktails al fresco, taking advantage of the perfect weather. During cocktail hour, others could be seen going in and out of the Driscoll villa to peruse an impressive array of silent and live-auction items available for bidding.
Guests were then prompted to head down the stairs towards Lake Austin, led by people in head-to-toe disco-ball costumes. The duo guided revelers to a secluded tent surrounded by natural greenery for the dinner and the live auction. The tent was transformed into a stunning space that paid homage to the acclaimed Studio 54, featuring lush, red carpeting, green plants, black linens, and long-tapered votives that seamlessly blended elegance and fun.
Partygoers then took to their seats for dinner and the main program. As guests dined on a delectable, family-style meal courtesy of MML Hospitality, they were treated to words from event and organization leaders thanking them for being a part of such a memorable evening.
Melody McCaig
Then the crowd was prompted to look toward the tent entrance, where auctioneer Lydia Fenet was introduced. She was escorted in by a white horse that served as a nod to Bianca Jagger’s iconic Studio 54 party in the late 70s, to begin the next part of the evening: the live auction and Paddle Raise.
During the auction, the paddles went up for an eclectic, elevated array of contemporary art, featuring works by acclaimed artists RF. Alvarez, Tom Anholt, Sarah Crowner, Raven Halfmoon, Lubaina Himid, Koak, and Ed Rushka, with more than one piece going for six figures. The best part of The Contemporary Austin Art Dinner live and silent auctions is that up to 50% of the proceeds raised from the auction go back to the artists for their time and effort.
Once the dinner and auction ended, revelers headed back up to the grounds of the Driscoll Villa for the event’s first-ever after party, which was warmed up by an additional 150 guests who joined Art Dinner patrons for this part of the evening. The fun continued well into the night as guests danced the night away to the tunes courtesy of DJ Chorizo Funk, and show-stopping performances by Mama Duke and THEBROSFRESH, capping off a spectacular night of fundraising for one of Austin’s most impactful, engaging, and innovative signature fundraising events.
THE NON-PROFIT: Art Dinner 2025, co-chaired by Val Armstrong, Bettina Barrow, Dante Clemons, and Maya Nairn, raised an eye-popping $1.8 million for The Contemporary Austin. Proceeds from the event will support education, curation, and programming initiatives that fulfill the organization’s mission to provide contemporary art that fosters more profound experiences, bigger conversations, and a closer community.
