Honoring John Paulson and Alina de Almeida
On Saturday, August 22nd, Southampton Arts Center celebrated its annual SummerFest Gala, welcoming more than 400 guests and breaking a fundraising record with $1 million raised in support of the organization. The evening honored 2026 Champion of the Arts Award winners John Paulson and Alina de Almeida for their dedication to the arts. The couple recently gifted Southampton Arts Center the funds, through The Paulson Family Foundation, to transform the grounds into the Paulson Family Gardens, which served as the setting for the evening.
The gala was co-chaired by Anke and Jürgen Friedrich, Jamee and Peter Gregory, Audrey and Martin Gruss, Simone and David Levinson, and Chris and Richard Mack. The night opened with a musical performance from Escola de Samba BOOM and a cocktail reception featuring tastings from local eateries including Clamman, Dopo Argento, The Party Perfectionist, Hamptons Gifts & Events, Saaz, and Shippy’s. Guests enjoyed passed small plates and cocktails by LALO, Aphrodise, Amante, and The Macklowe whiskey collection, and were invited to view The Photography Collection of Judy Glickman Lauder, on display through September 27th.
Following the cocktail hour, guests moved to the garden for dinner by Acquolina Catering, surrounded by floral arrangements designed by Arthur Golabek as string lights lit the space overhead. Music by Olivier Meiji rounded out the evening, which was attended by Southampton Arts Center board members and supporters including Hilary and Wilbur Ross, Jane Holzer, Phyllis and Bill Mack, Christine and Richard Mack, Jennifer and Amb. David Fischer, Pepe Fanjul, Jamee and Peter Gregory, Barbara and Randall Smith, Fern Mallis, Barbara and Scott Greenstein, Kim Heirston, Mayor William Manger, Ali and Lew Sanders, Nicole and Allen Salmasi, Jen Weis and John Monsky, Kara Ross, Wendy and Howard Cox, Katharina Otto-Bernstein and Nathan Bernstein, Julie and Billy Macklowe, Barbara and Amb. Cliff Sobel, Cristina and Chris Cuomo, and Lynn Scotti.
Midway through the event, Southampton Mayor William Manger Jr. presented a proclamation to John Paulson and Alina de Almeida. Southampton Arts Center founder Simone Levinson then thanked guests for attending and spoke about the significance of the organization and the generosity of the honorees.
Levinson stated, “Southampton Arts Center is my happy place because it embodies a spirit of generosity and collaboration that is all too rare in the world today. Our invitation should come with a warning label, because like Hotel California: you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.” She continued, “With great appreciation to many of you here this evening, SAC has continued to elevate and strengthen our village over these past 14 years as a platform to share the treasure trove of talent within our community.” She went on to highlight key Southampton Arts Center events and supporters, including Wilbur Ross’s book talk for Risks and Returns, a screening of Katharina Otto-Bernstein’s The Last Spy, the sculpture garden curated by Leila Heller and Christine Mack, and Audrey Gruss’s Hope for Depression annual seminar. She also thanked Dr. Fatima Morrell, Superintendent of Southampton Public Schools, who partnered with SAC earlier this year to launch the First Light exhibit and Arts Education program, reaching 1,200 students in the Southampton Public School District.
Honorees John Paulson and Alina de Almeida then took the stage to accept the 2026 Champion of the Arts award from Levinson. Paulson stated, “The goal we had was to create an oasis in the middle of the village. The moment you walk through the gates you leave the traffic and noise behind and you’re transported into a bucolic garden full of nature and beauty.” He thanked Levinson for bringing the project to life, along with Chris LaGuardia for his execution of the gardens and Alina for inspiring the idea during a stroll along Jobs Lane.
This year’s SummerFest host committee included Debbie and Glenn August, Jill Braufman and Dan Nir, Wendy and Howard Cox, Walter Deane, Molly and Bill Ford, Lauren and Marty Geller, Marc Glimcher, Marjorie and Josh Harris, Yaz and Valentin Hernandez, Jane Holzer, Sharon and Anton Katz, Beth and Chris Kojima, Hilary and Wilbur Ross, Barbara and Randall Smith, Sarah and Andrew Wetenhall, and Silvia and Sophocles Zoullas.
Proceeds from the event enable Southampton Arts Center to host four world class exhibitions and offer 150 programs each year. The organization attracts more than 50,000 visitors annually who take part in film, music, dance, theater, children’s events, lectures, wellness programs, and workshops, furthering its mission of building community through the arts and supporting local businesses in the village of Southampton.
Sponsors of the event included Aphrodise, Balmain Paris, Bloomberg Philanthropies, BuddhaBerry, GRAFF, LALO, Palmer, Peter Thomas Roth, Purist, and The Macklowe Whiskey.
