Guild Hall’s 40th Annual Academy Of The Arts Achievement Awards Dinner Honored Katie Couric, Carl Bernstein, & Leila Straus

Guild Hall celebrated the 40th annual Academy of the Arts Achievement Awards Dinner on Monday, April 27, at the iconic Rainbow Room in New York City. The event, which recognizes the lifetime achievements of artists, creative professionals, and individuals who passionately support the arts, honored Carl Bernstein and Katie Couric each with the Lifetime Achievement Award in Media & Communications. Carl’s award was presented by Jann Wenner, while Katie’s was presented by Christie Brinkley. Arts patron, Leila Straus, was recognized with the Special Award for Leadership and Philanthropy.

Susan Stroman, Academy President, invited the newest Academy inductees in attendance to the stage and presented them with medals. They included actor Victor Garber, artist Sarah Sze, and author Colson Whitehead. In addition to the hosts, honorees, inductees, and performers in attendance, guests included Peter Marino, April Gornik, Eric Fischl, Ross Bleckner, Jason Bard Yarmosky, Arcmanoro Niles, Evan Yee, Daryl Roth, Tovah Feldshuh, Alan Patricoff, Barbara Guggenheim, Gina Gibney, Roderick George, and Florence Fabricant.

The Academy of the Arts is a community of over 200 of the nation’s most accomplished artists and creative professionals who lend their talent and expertise to Guild Hall. This year’s annual affair hosted 250 guests and raised over $720,000 to allow Guild Hall to continue celebrating those who champion the nearly century-old institution’s dynamic mission as an inventive, artist-driven establishment.