Scottsdale Arts Takes Bold, New Direction With Glamorous Gala

Scottsdale Arts is taking a fresh approach to its annual ARTrageous Gala and opening new doors as it celebrates bold decisions of yesteryear with a reimagined, glamorous event.

Starry Night | An ARTrageous Gala will bring the energy of a red-carpet experience to Old Town as it recognizes 20 years of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) from 5 - 10 p.m. on Dec. 7 at the Scottsdale Arts Campus, 7380 E. 2nd St., Scottsdale, Arizona.

Under the combined beauty of the night sky and a pulsing new SMoCA light installation, senses will swirl with splendid music from award-winning performers, tasty appetizer bites, exquisite mixologist libations and 'foodie-approved' dishes that indulge the taste buds, all culminating with dancing under the stars, paired with an international dessert extravaganza.

"This year's Starry Night Gala will be a glamorous, red-carpet celebration, modeled after the star-studded Hollywood awards shows and bursting with endless experiences designed to showcase the real stars of the arts in Scottsdale - our event guests," said Oscar De las salas, gala chairman. "It will be a one-of-a-kind event to celebrate a one-of-a-kind museum."

This year's gala will raise a toast to SMoCA's 20th anniversary and recognize the leaders whose dream became a reality thanks to tireless work. The event also marks the debut of Scottsdale Arts' new Herberger Award for the Arts, which will be given to Dr. Robert Knight, SMoCA's founding director.

The gala will also honor other luminaries who were instrumental in the birth of the SMoCA, including architect Will Bruder; former Scottsdale Mayor Sam Campana; Kathy Hotchner, former director of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts; Frank Jacobson, former CEO of Scottsdale Arts; Carolyn Robbins, former curator of education for Scottsdale Arts; Randy Schilling, former director of development for Scottsdale Arts; Valeria Vadala-Homer, former director of Scottsdale Public Art; and Ellie Ziegler, philanthropist and former Scottsdale Arts Board Chair.

Hosting the event are three local media personalities: Carey Peña of Inspired Media 360, Vanessa Ruiz of Cronkite News Borderlands and Javier Soto of "Good Morning Arizona."

Gala attendees will enter through "Knight Rise," the James Turrell skyspace commissioned by Scottsdale Public Art for the SMoCA courtyard, where they will be greeted with champagne. Then they will make their way down a 300-foot red carpet below the atmospheric lights of "Murmuration," an installation by the UK-based artist studio Squidsoup, where they will be photographed with the artwork.

"American Idol" alumnus and internet personality Von Smith will perform during the red-carpet entrance. Smith has appeared on numerous televisions shows, opened for Lady Gaga, and toured the world, performing with Postmodern Jukebox and collaborating with symphonies conducted by the late Marvin Hamlisch.

Other performances throughout the night will include collaborations with local musicians who have appeared at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and students who have participated in programs facilitated by Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation (formerly Scottsdale Arts Education & Outreach).

Performances will be featured outside Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, near the silent auction, as well as inside the Center's atrium, which will host the dinner, awards presentation and live auction. Among the auction items are creative travel packages and a luxury room makeover package by IMI Design Studios.

As the annual fundraiser for Scottsdale Arts, the ARTrageous Gala provides support for the events and programs under the largest arts umbrella in Arizona, including signature events like Canal Convergence and the Scottsdale Arts Festival, as well as the organization's four branches: Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, SMoCA, Scottsdale Public Art, and Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation, which operates programs for thousands of students and seniors.

Dr. Gerd Wuestemann, president and CEO of Scottsdale Arts, said the gala is an opportunity to showcase the Scottsdale Arts umbrella - a united arts organization that serves the entire community. With that in mind, gala organizers developed a program for the evening that puts artists and patrons first as a way to show appreciation for all they do for the community.

"We are excited to celebrate 20 years of this amazing Museum, as well as all of Scottsdale Arts during our Starry Night Gala," Wuestemann said. "This fun-filled, glamorous evening will showcase so much of what makes Scottsdale Arts one of the major organizations in the Southwest. From spectacular public art displays to gallery exhibitions, from student groups performing alongside national acts to a red-carpet experience unlike any other, we hope you will join us in celebrating our arts community as well as the community leaders who helped make Scottsdale an arts destination for more than 40 years."

The gala is an opportunity to thank the partner, donors and sponsors who make these opportunities possible year after year. Scottsdale Arts would like to show its sincere appreciation to Diamond Sponsors, Billie Jo and Judd Herberger; Ruby Sponsors, Scottsdale Progress; and Emerald Sponsors, BMO Harris Bank and ProEM, along with all the table sponsors and ticket buyers. Their commitment to elevating the arts in our community is what makes the programs at Scottsdale Arts possible.

Join Scottsdale Arts for a fabulous evening looking back at the founding of SMoCA - a unique and vital cultural resource for the Southwest - and exploring how its history will help shape our future.

Dress code for the gala is black tie with the suggested colors of navy, gold and/or black. Tickets for individual seats are $500; A half-table reservation is $2,500; and a full table is $5,000. Call Kelly Hicks at 480-874-4662 to purchase tickets or visit Gala.ScottsdaleArts.org.