Updated posts 2026
WASHINGTON, DC—The Phillips Collection’s 2024 Annual Gala, themed “Looking Forward, Forward Looking,” celebrated the museum’s commitment to education, community engagement, cultural diplomacy, and modern and contemporary art. Reflecting the museum’s future-focused role, the Gala raised over $760,000 to support diverse education and community initiatives.
Director’s Note: Vradenburg Director & CEO Jonathan P. Binstock highlighted the importance of public engagement alongside the excellence of the museum’s exhibitions and collections. He expressed gratitude to donors, Trustees, and the community for their support.
Honorees: The event honored Sylvia Snowden, a renowned DC-based painter; Reginald Van Lee, Chairperson of the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities; and Alan and Irene Wurtzel, dedicated arts philanthropists.
Event Highlights: Over 380 guests, including Members of Congress, diplomats, corporate executives, artists, philanthropists, and national media, attended. The evening featured decor inspired by the museum’s Creative Aging and school partnerships programs, a dinner among the Phillips’s collection, and an After Party headlined by DC Fusion.
Notable Guests: Attendees included Jonathan P. Binstock, Gala Co-Chairs Beatriz Bolton and Judy Pomeranz, Sylvia Snowden, Reginald Van Lee, Alan and Irene Wurtzel, and numerous Members of Congress and diplomats.
Vradenburg Director & CEO Jonathan P. Binstock addresses guests at The Phillips Collection 2024 Annual GalaPhoto © Tony Powell
Committees and Sponsors: The event was supported by a diverse Gala Committee and generous sponsors like Bloomberg Philanthropies, Altria Group, and the Garcia Family Spotlight Foundation.
The Creative Aging programme that inspired the evening’s décor is a quieter part of the museum’s work than its collection, and a well-evidenced one. Structured arts participation among older adults has been linked in several studies to reduced isolation, lower reported rates of depression, and in some cohorts fewer doctor visits — findings that have moved museum education from an outreach activity toward something closer to a health intervention. It is the kind of programming that rarely appears in a museum’s public profile, and the kind that funding of this sort actually pays for.
About The Phillips Collection: Founded in 1921, The Phillips Collection is America’s first museum of modern art, renowned for its Impressionist and American modern art collections. The museum engages nationally and internationally through exhibitions, education programs, and community partnerships, including Phillips@THEARC in Southeast DC.
Gala Committees and Sponsors: Details on the honorees, Congressional Committee, Diplomatic Committee, Artist Committee, Gala Committee, and 2024 Gala Sponsors, including Bloomberg Philanthropies and Altria Group, are available.
