Tuesday, June 5, 6:30 p.m., New York Institute of Technology Auditorium on Broadway

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Americans for the Arts today announced that artist Jeff Koons will deliver the 2018 David Rockefeller Lecture on Arts and Business, a signature program of the Business Committee for the Arts. The lecture will address Koons’ arts and business collaborations, and how they have benefited his own artistic endeavors and the strategic goals of the businesses. 
 
The evening will also feature an introduction by Laurent Gaveau, head of Google Arts & Culture Lab— a physical space in Paris where artists, curators, experts can meet Google’s computer engineers and explore new ideas together—and a performance by musician and singer/songwriter Yancy Garcia. Prior to the 6:30 p.m. lecture, Koons will be available for a meet-and-greet from 5:00 – 5:30 p.m. 
 
The lecture series was created to advance Rockefeller’s belief that the arts are essential to free enterprise and human achievement, and to encourage businesses to form alliances with the arts and support a thriving, vibrant arts community. Past speakers include Eli Broad, Raymond Nasher, David Rockefeller Jr, and David Rubenstein. 
 
“I am pleased that Jeff Koons will be delivering this lecture. Our goal is to inspire business leaders to create meaningful collaborations—partnerships that not only support a healthy, creative, and arts-rich community, but that also give businesses a strategic advantage,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. 
 
Koons is widely known for his iconic sculptures Rabbit and Balloon Dog as well as the monumental floral sculpture Puppy, shown at Rockefeller Center and permanently installed at the Guggenheim Bilbao. Koons has received numerous awards and honors in recognition of his cultural achievements, including the Governor’s Awards for the Arts Distinguished Arts Award from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts; and the Golden Plate Award from the Academy of Achievement. President Jacques Chirac promoted Koons to Officier de la Legion d’Honneur; and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton honored Koons with the State Department’s Medal of the Arts for his outstanding commitment to the Art in Embassies Program and international cultural exchange. 
 
The lecture is free and open to the press. Advance registration is required through Inga Vitols at [email protected]/202-371-2830. 
 
Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 55 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. 
 
The Business Committee for the Arts (BCA) merged with Americans for the Arts in 2008 and continues to place an emphasis on building partnerships between the arts and business sectors through The pARTnership Movement, the BCA National Survey of Business Support for the Arts, the BCA 10 Awards, and other programming. The Business Committee for the Arts, a group of key business leaders, provides insight and support for these programs.