Art Production Fund’s 2025 Gala Presented by Saks Fifth Avenue
Art Production Fund celebrated its 25th Anniversary on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, with its annual gala hosted in collaboration with Saks Fifth Avenue. The event raised nearly $700,000 in support of the organization’s mission to commission and produce ambitious public art projects. More than three hundred guests joined the Art Production Fund Slumber Party to celebrate 25 years of APF with the organization’s artists and supporters at the iconic NYC landmark, The Seagram Building.
One of New York’s most anticipated artworld events, the 2025 Gala saw guests wearing their best Truth or Dare looks for an evening of pajama party-inspired fun. Guests were greeted by an Art Production Fund slumber party installation of pink satin sheets and pillows, before proceeding upstairs for cocktails in THE GRILL, where they sipped Champagne Lallier, Cucumber Martini’s, Cosmos and Dirty Shirley’s.
Guests were served cotton candy Buggy Bear sculptures by Alake Shilling. They sipped champagne and snacked on popcorn while lounging on the pink satin slumber party inspired vignette up on the mezzanine. Before dinner, Art Production Fund Executive Director and Saks Social Club Member Casey Fremont, Director of Operations Kathleen Lynch, and co-founders Yvonne Force Villareal and Doreen Remen toasted to Art Production Fund’s 25th anniversary with a Champagne Lallier champagne tower.
Guests were ushered into THE POOL for dinner, where they settled into their seats before dinner was announced with an original performance commission by Madeline Hollander. Titled “Sonnambula”, the piece is inspired by Balanchine’s La Sonnambula ballet and is accompanied by the harpist and violinist duo, LEYA. The performance culminated in the dancers “falling asleep” in the center of THE POOL.
Executive Director Casey Fremont and Director of Operations Kathleen Lynch welcomed and thanked guests who then enjoyed a decadent dinner menu designed by APF Board member Sarah Hoover with shrimp cocktail and Sadelle’s mini pizza bagels in custom APF x Saks branded pizza boxes. Each table setting was complete with Angelica Hicks illustrated original bedtime storybook program among other surprises for attendees to carry home, including Art Production Fund shirts, personalized Saks branded compact mirrors, APF Barettes, Saks branded sleep masks and skincare from 111SKIN.
Sara Friedlander, Deputy Chairman of Post-War and Contemporary Art at Christie’s, led the live auction supported by UOVO Art, Fashion, and Wine. Auction lots included works by Katherine Bernhardt, Joel Gaitan, Greg Ito, Joel Mesler and Hiba Schahbaz.
All proceeds from the evening support Art Production Fund’s public commissions that make artists’ visions come to life. Art Production Fund (APF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to commissioning and producing ambitious public art projects, reaching new audiences and expanding awareness through contemporary art. Past projects include: Elmgreen & Dragset, “Prada Marfa,” Valentine, TX; Ugo Rondinone, “Seven Magic Mountains,” Las Vegas; Sanford Biggers “Oracle” and Joel Mesler, "Pool Party" both at Rockefeller Center, NY; Maia Ruth Lee, "The Conveyor" at Prospect.6, New Orleans, LA; "Frieze Projects", Los Angeles, CA. . For more information, please visit artproductionfund.org / @ArtProductionFund
Art Production Fund Leadership: Executive Director Casey Fremont, Director of Operations Kathleen Lynch.
Guests included: Waris Ahluwalia, Brian Atwood, Ashley Avignone, Stacey Bendet, Lisa Benson, Rachel & Neil Blumenthal, Hannah Bronfman, Lili Buffett, Sophia Bush, Athena Calderone, Francesco Carrozzini, Amy Fine Collins, Sai De Silva, Nell Diamond, Thomas Doherty, Selby Drummond, Sylvana Ward Durrett, Micaela Erlanger, Alioune Badara Fall, Shelly & Vincent Fremont, Serena Goh, Tonne Goodman, Charlotte Groenveld, Ashlyn Harris, Deon Hinton, Nicky Hilton, Sarah Hoover, Frances Howie, Jill Kargman, Kit Keenan, Jane Keltner de Valle, Alexandra Michler Kopelman, Marina Larroude, Mary Leest, Adam Lippes, Storm Ascher, Isabella Massannet, Mira Mariah, Anne McNally, Zofia Krasicki von Siecin, Toby Milstein, Romilly Newman, James Perkins, Scott Rothkopf, Cynthia Rowley, Lauren McCarthy, Madeline Hirsch, Allison Sarofim, Max Siegelman, Erik Maza, Larsen Thompson, Tanya Taylor, Jasmine Wahi, Jessica Wang, and Lauren Wolfe, along with artists Derrick Adams, Katherine Bernhardt, Sanford Biggers, Miles Greenberg, Angelica Hicks, Sheree Hovespian, Shantell Martin, Joel Mesler, Marilyn Minter, Hiba Schahbaz, Mickalene Thomas, and Leo Villareal.
