Annual YoungArts Miami Gala Celebrated Extraordinary Young Artists Nationwide 

What:

On Saturday, January 11, 2025, YoungArts, the national foundation for the advancement of artists, welcomed 300 of Miami’s top cultural and community leaders, philanthropists, celebrities, and art aficionados to the YoungArts Miami Gala. YoungArts raised nearly $1,000,000 at the organization’s annual fundraiser, presented by Marni and Dry Farm Wines. The event, which was held at Miami’s Rubell Museum Forum, honored ballerina and advocate for diversity in dance Misty Copeland with the Arison Award and named Rachel Zhang, the winner of the 2025 YoungArts Jorge M. Pérez Award.

The YoungArts Miami Gala was emceed by Tony Award Nominee Lorna Courtney** and featured a series of interdisciplinary performances by past YoungArts award winners, directed by Caleb Teicher**, including dancers Deven Ayambem**, Karissa Royster**, and Kaitlyn Tom**, pianist and violinist Gabrielle Chou**, Classical and flamenco guitarist Penelope Shvarts**, jazz trumpeter Nicolaus Gelin**, jazz pianist Brandon Goldberg**, jazz bassist Aidan McCarthy**, and multidisciplinary artist Topaz Winters**.

The evening included an elegant cocktail reception and seated dinner with decor and florals, by acclaimed designer Raúl Àvila – designer of The Met Ball, The Oscars, The Tony Awards, and other signature arts community events.

The evening also celebrated the culmination of the 44^th National YoungArts Week, which brought 175 YoungArts Award Winners with Distinction, representing the nation’s most accomplished young artists in the literary, visual, and performing arts, together in Miami to spend a week developing their craft with internationally recognized leaders in their fields and creating lifelong, interdisciplinary connections with each other. 

Who:

GALA CO-CHAIRS: Sarah Arison & Thomas Wilhelm, Chloe Berkowitz, Rona & Jeff Citrin, Dr. Christina Pérez, Craig Robins & Jackie Soffer, and Randi Wolfson & Chris Adamo. 

ARTISTS, ARTISTIC DIRECTORS, CURATORS AND SCHOLARS: Raúl Àvila, Germane Barnes, Pascal Le Boeuf , Claire Breukel, Mario Cader-Frech, Nigel Campbell**, India Carney **, Ali Codina, Jon Faddis, Naomi Fisher**, Bernardo Fort-Brescia, Alex Gartenfeld, Sam Hyken, Virginia Johnson, Dani Klarić, Cathy Leff, Lourdes Lopez, Michael McElroy⁺, Rashaun Mitchell, Dr. Joan Morgan*, Silas Riener, Jean Shin⁺, Cornelius Tulloch**, Jasmine Wahi, Abigail Hing Wen and Kennedy Yanko.  

PHILANTHROPY, CULTURE AND BUSINESS LEADERS: Tracey Berkowitz, Jonathan Flack*, Bill Ford, Molly Ford, Danielle Garno*, Jeff Gates, Howard Herring, Gianni Infantino, Lina Infantino, Michi Jigarjian*, Charles Jigarjian, Lisa Heiden-Koffler, Adam Koffler, Susan Kronick, Karen Lord, Courtney Lord, Bethany Menzies, Kathryn Mikesell, Dan Mikesell, Kara Moore, Dayna Novenstein, Steve Novenstein, Glenda Pedroso*, Jon Paul Pérez, Nick Pérez, Christopher Rim, Oti Roberts, Remi Roberts, Brynne McNulty Rojas, Julio Rojas, Don Rubell, Mera Rubell, Edward Shumsky, David Stockman, Jennifer Stockman, Sandra Tamer*, Tony Tamer, Todd White, and Robert Wennett. 

* Board Member  
** YoungArts Award Winner 
⁺ YoungArts Board Member and Award Winner 

Where:

The Rubell Museum 
1100 NW 23rd St
Miami, FL 33127

When:

Saturday, January 11, 2025

Images:

Images available here.

About YoungArts:

YoungArts—the national foundation for the advancement of artists—was established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison to identify exceptional young artists, amplify their potential, and invest in their lifelong creative freedom. YoungArts provides space, funding, mentorship, professional development and community throughout artists’ careers. Entrance into this prestigious organization starts with a highly competitive application for talented artists ages 15–18, or grades 10–12, in the United States that is judged by esteemed discipline-specific panels of artists through a rigorous adjudication process. 

For more information, visit youngarts.org, Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook.