Miami, FL – January 11, 2020 – National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) hosted its annual fundraiser in Miami, the Backyard Ball performance and gala, presented by Harry Winston, Inc. and supported by VIP Host Partner UBS Financial Services, Inc. to help support the artistic development of the nation’s most accomplished young artists.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Jorge M. Pérez Award to New York-based sculptor and installation artist Ilana Harris-Babou (2009 YoungArts Winner in Visual Arts) and Miami-based sculptor and painter Mateo Nava (2013 YoungArts Winner in Visual Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts). The Jorge M. Pérez Award, funded by The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation, provides a $25,000 unrestricted award to YoungArts Visual Arts alumni who have demonstrated artistic excellence and shown promise of future achievement.

The Backyard Ball was hosted by honorary chairs Sandra and Tony Tamer, and co-chairs Sarah Arison and Thomas Wilhelm, Jay Franke and David Herro, and Oxana and Steven Marks. In addition to the chairs, the Backyard Ball gala leaders committee included Jeffrey Davis and Michael Miller, Asha and Jamie Elias, Lisa Heiden-Koffler and Adam Koffler, Carolyn and Alex Hurst, Amy and Richard Kohan, Diane and Alan Lieberman, Darlene and Jorge M. Pérez, Remi and Oti Roberts, Laurinda Spear and Bernardo Fort-Brescia, Ellie and Bruce Taub, Ana and Sean Wolfington and Maurice Zarmati.

In attendance were newly-appointed YoungArts board members Derrick Adams, Doug Blush (1984 YoungArts Winner in Film), Natalie Diggins, Glenda Pedroso and Jim Shreve, as well as many renowned artists, alumni, community leaders and philanthropists like Irma and Norman Braman, Zoë Buckman, Claire Chase (1996 YoungArts Winner in Classical Music & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), Veronica and Daniel de la Vega, Khirma Eliazov, Alex Gartenfeld, Michi and Charlie Jigarjian, Dr. Ron McCurdy, Dr. Joan Morgan, José Parlá, Marvin Ross Friedman and Adrienne Bon Haes, Vernon Scott, Franklin Sirmans, Michael Spring, Michael Trusnovec (1992 YoungArts Winner in Dance & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts) and Betty Wright.