Jeff Koons

Miami, FL – January 10, 2015 – The National YoungArts Foundation kicked-off the Miami social season with its annual Backyard Ball gala hosted at its national headquarters and campus. The sold-out event, sponsored by Max Mara, was billed as the group’s largest annual fundraiser, raising over $1.7 million to directly support the organization’s contributions to the artistic development of young artists from around the nation. More than 800 guests joined National YoungArts Foundation President & CEO Paul T. Lehr, co-chairs Tracey and Bruce Berkowitz, Elizabeth and Facundo Bacardi, and the evening’s emcee, Zuzanna Szadkowski, a YoungArts alumna, and current “Girls” actress, at what is considered the culmination of the 2015 National YoungArts Week. Guests sipped Bacardi cocktails and dined on bites by Stephen STARR Events before enjoying a multidisciplinary performance directed by Tony Award winner and YoungArts Artistic Advisor, Bill T. Jones, and featuring YoungArts alumni. The Backyard Ball also paid homage to celebrated artists and YoungArts alumni, including renowned visual artist Jeff Koons, who was presented with the 2015 Arison Award. Grammy Award nominated recording artist and YoungArts Master Teacher, Josh Groban, and Grammy Award nominated singer, and 2003 YoungArts Winner in Voice and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Chris Young, were both presented with the 2015 Arison Alumni Awards. The exquisite evening concluded with dancing and dessert under the stars on the YoungArts Plaza and music by DJ Cassidy. Additional Backyard Ball sponsors include Rolls Royce, Braman Motors, EventStar, James Royal Palm Hotel, the Miami Herald, MIAMI Magazine, and Seabourn.

The National YoungArts Foundation also welcomed more than 100 young philanthropists for its 1-2-7 Party, which took place on the YoungArts campus in tandem with the 2015 YoungArts Backyard Ball gala, in celebration of  the organization’s mission to promote the artistic development of the best young artists from around the country. Guests mixed and mingled while browsing an exhibit by 2015 YoungArts Visual Arts and Photography Finalists in the YoungArts Gallery, as well as watch a live stream of the Bill T. Jones-directed YoungArts alumni performance taking place inside the gala. The evening concluded with desserts and dancing on the plaza to tunes spun by DJ Cassidy.

Chris Young, Jeff Koons, & Josh Groban

Bruce Weber, Paul Lehr, Chris Young, Jeff Koons, Josh Groban, & Jorge Perez

Bruce Weber & Jeff Koons

Chris Young & James Caan

Josh Groban, DJ Cassidy, & Chris Young

Bill T. Jones, DJ Cassidy, Bjorn Amelan, & Jacques d’Amboise

Phylicia Rashad & Bill T. Jones

Phylicia Rashad

Zuzanna Szadkowski

Josh Groban

Chris Young

Jeff Koons

Jacques d’Amboise, Michael Kaiser, Bill T. Jones, DJ Cassidy, & Bjorn Amelan

Jacques d’Amboise

Jeff Koons & Phylicia Rashad

Darlene, Jorge, & Christina Perez

Paul Lehr & Jorge Perez

Harry Hersh & Bob Lynch

James Caan, Michele King, & Don Soffer

Bruce Weber & Jeff Koons

Facundo Bacardi & Chis Young

Bill T. Jones, Sarah Arison, Paul Lehr, & Bjorn Amelan

Paul Lehr, Chris Young, Sarah Arison, & Facundo Bacardi

Bill T. Jones & Chris Young

Bruce Weber

Bruce Weber, Adrienne bon Haes, & Marvin Ross Friedman

Naomi Fisher & John Lin

Jared & Stacie Galbut

Michael & Vanessa Leitman, DJ Cassidy, & Jeremy Haskill

Emily McKenzie & Katharine Rubino

Austin & Sarah Harrelson, John Lin, Naomi Fisher, & Luis Rigual

Sebastian Guejman & Ashley Turchin

Diane & Alan Lieberman

Andrea Baclea, Aaron Glickman, & Marcela Novela

Luisa Jimenez & Bill Kearney

Felicia Marquez & Kiko Baixauli

Mario Ojeda, Tiffany Rosen, Iva Kosovic, & Cleveland Jones

Oren Alexander, Jillian Jacobson, & Nicoline Artursson

Catherine Anne & Patrick Markert

Luis Rigual & John Lin

Paul & Jeannine Lehr

Sam Robin

DJ Cassidy

DJ Cassidy

Kristin Liu, Carla Marrero, Ricky Ubeda

Nicoline Arturssin & Oren Alexander

Daniel Rothschild & Megan Harmon

Diana Arellano & Brooks Tragash

Charles Lawrie & Lydia Pinnell

Hillary Strickland, Ariel Burman, & Jules Davis

Natalie Loos, Faith Arison, Lauren Fitzpatrick, & Sarah Arison

GALLERY SLIDER