Guild Hall’s Summer Gala Raises Over $1 Million For The Institution’s Museum, Theater, & Learning Programs 

Guild Hall’s Annual Summer Gala was held on the institution’s campus on Friday, August 1. Over 350 guests attended to celebrate a preview of the exhibitions Mary Heilmann: Water Way and Joel Mesler: Miles of Smiles, and honor Louise and Howie Phanstiel, who were recognized for their generosity towards the institution. Guests enjoyed activations in all areas of the renovated building, including the museum, theater, and gardens.

The landmark event was attended by notable members of the East End creative community, including guests of honor Mary Heilmann and Joel Mesler, honorees Louise and Howie Phanstiel, Board Chair Marty Cohen and Michele Cohen, Executive Director Andrea Grover and husband Carlos Lama, art advisor Kim Heirston, gallerist Tripoli Patterson, NY Times Food & Wine writer Florence Fabricant, fashion industry leader Fern Mallis, theater producers Brian Moreland, Stewart Lane, and Bonnie Comley, and choreographer Gina Gibney. Artists in attendance included Ross Bleckner, Billy Sullivan, Sheree Hovsepian, Almond Zigmund, Arcmanoro Niles, Steve Miller, Jason Yarmosky, Bastienne Schmidt, Philippe Cheng, Mago, Toni Ross, and Sherrill Roland.

Guests enjoyed cocktails from 6 to 7 PM, including a preview of two exhibitions, Mary Heilmann: Water Way, and Joel Mesler: Miles of Smiles, the first large-scale solo presentations at an institution on the East End of Long Island for both artists, on view now through October 26. Mesler’s Smile Shop in the Pantzer Gallery delighted guests, many of whom purchased whimsical items from jewelry to tote bags, hats, and even a full set of dishes. Simultaneously, specialty libations from Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits and The Macklowe Whiskey and passed hors d’oeuvres by Acquolina were enjoyed in the Minikes Garden.

At 7 PM, attendees then made their way to the dinner tent, which Anthony Taccetta Design had festively decorated, taking inspiration from Mary Heilmann’s water theme, including dramatic projections on the ceiling of the sprawling tent. Acquolina Catering prepared a tomato, peach, fig leaf oil, labneh, and flowering cilantro salad with a parmesan cheese straw, followed by a main course of zucchini-scaled black sea bass, a salad of many peas, and crispy artichokes, and ended on a sweet note with flourless chocolate caprese cake and a fresh fruit tart with strawberry ganache.

Following the main course, guests were treated to Site Specific Dances’ Erosions Duet (excerpt), a dance/media-performance choreographed by Michael Spencer Phillips featuring dancers Alex Haquia and Ethan Palma, with music by Steven Sametz. To/From (excerpt), a media installation, was dramatically projected on the ceiling of the tent, directed by Michael Spencer Phillips and Dino Kiratzidis, featuring choreographer and dancer, Michael Spencer Phillips, with music by Darian Donovan Thomas, and editing by Emma Kazaryan. The video was commissioned by The Traverse City Dance Project. Site Specific Dances will return to East Hampton in the fall for Guild Hall’s William P. Rayner Artist-in-Residence program, allowing the audience to experience a taste of what the company will be incubating during their residency. The gala performance was sponsored by Guild Hall Trustee, Lisa Schultz.

In between courses, Chief Philanthropy Officer Kristin Eberstadt encouraged guests to show additional support for the Museum, Theater, or Learning + New Works programs by raising the custom “I’m a Fan of Guild Hall” fans, with donations starting at $25,000. Notably, this effort was enhanced by Eberstadt’s lip-synching interpretive dance to Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” Her efforts successfully yielded $175,000 in donations, making the total contributions for the evening $1 million in support of Guild Hall’s programming.

As the desserts were being enjoyed, tunes were spun by DJ Mick, enticing guests to hit the dance floor, which was packed for the last two hours of the event, with attendees gleefully celebrating another successful summer gala at Guild Hall.