Contact:
Catherine Vacovsky
202-712-2054
[email protected]
@AFTAPress

Americans for the Arts, the leading organization for advancing the arts and arts education in the US, celebrated the 2013 annual National Arts Awards on Monday, October 21, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City, raising $800,000 in support of the arts and arts education.

Hosted during National Arts and Humanities Month, the black-tie event was chaired by Maria Bell alongside co-chairs Sarah Arison, Edythe and Eli Broad, Carolyn Powers, Julie and Edward J. Minskoff, as well as Theodor Dalenson, Americans for the Arts Board member, and his wife Isabella Dalenson.

The evening paid tribute to five honorees:

• Dakota Fanning – Bell Family Foundation Young Artist Award
• B.B. King – Isabella and Theodor Dalenson Lifetime Achievement Award
• John and Mary Pappajohn – Eli & Edythe Broad Award for Philanthropy in the Arts
• Joel Shapiro – Outstanding Contributions to the Arts Award
• Alberto Carvalho – Arts Education Award

Grammy Award-winning blues musician and National Medal of Arts honoree Buddy Guy; Director of The Museum of Modern Art Glenn Lowry; screenwriter and film director Kelly Reichardt; Sarah Arison, president of the Arison Arts Foundation; and Jeff Fleming, Director of the Des Moines Art Center, were among the presenters.

The awards event was attended by many art world figures, including artists Will Cotton, Christopher Wool, Frank Stella, and Christo, guitarist Buddy Guy, film director Kelly Reichardt, Justine Koons, and Maria Bell. Original artwork by Will Cotton was on display, and guests were treated to a performance of B.B. King's music by YoungArts.

Select hi-res images of the event and honorees can be downloaded here with captions: https://files.fitzandco.com/
Username: AFTA
Password: NAA

(All images can be found on the BFA website: http://bfanyc.com/home/event/7487 and http://bfanyc.com/home/event/7485