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Celebrating 30 Americans

Saturday, December 4, 2021

7:00 - 11:00 p.m.

Thank you for an incredible evening!

Save the date: Saturday, December 3, 2022

Photos from the Gala

Relive the glamour and the fun with pictures from the evening

See Photos

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Join us to celebrate and support the arts, particularly the major exhibition 30 Americans, featuring the work of acclaimed contemporary Black artists.

Featuring delicious small plates by Loosh Culinaire and libations by Twist Bartending, plus specialty cocktails by Olando "Opie" Patterson of Goat’s. Entertainment by Reggie Sullivan and the Congaree Saints and DJs Lady Marauder and Preach Jacobs.

The Gala is the CMA’s largest fundraiser of the year and raises significant funds to support the museum’s award-winning arts education and community enrichment programs.

Black-tie attire. Complimentary valet parking on Hampton Street at Boyd Plaza. 

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Boyd Plaza

Leave your car with the complimentary valet and immerse yourself in an outdoor space inspired by the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Passed appetizers highlight the artist's Puerto Rican and Haitian heritage, DJ Lady Marauder spins retro tunes on vinyl, and the specialty cocktail is by mixologist Olando "Opie" Patterson of Goat’s.

The space also features art, commissioned specially for the occasion, by local artist Cedric Umoja.

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Champagne Lounge

Inspired by Mickalene Thomas’ Baby I Am Ready Now, this space truly sparkles.

Indulge in a glass of bubbly and enticing bite-sized delights from Loosh Culinaire.

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Tito's Dream Lounge

Presented by Friends of African American Art & Culture

Inspired by Wangechi Mutu's Non, je ne regrette rien, the Tito's Dream Lounge brings to life an enchanting experience reminiscent of a 1930s cocktail lounge, featuring a Tito's Vodka specialty cocktail and small bites by Loosh Culinaire.

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The Loft

This glitzy hip hop club experience is inspired by the Gala's pièce de résistance, Kehinde Wiley's nine-foot-tall Equestrian Portrait of the Count Duke Olivares.

Throughout the evening, this space will be filled with soul food-inspired fare from Loosh Culinaire, a full bar including a specialty cocktail by Olando "Opie" Patterson of Goat’s, and hip hop beats. As the excitement builds, the night culminates in a DJ battle between Lady Marauder and Preach Jacobs.

Exhibitions on View

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Previous Galas

couple dancing in front of fountain
singer in front of twinkling lights
a crowd dancing to a live band
partygoers seen from above
jazz band playing in front of lights
woman smiling in a crowd
women laughing on a dance floor
three women smiling
dancers at the 2018 gala
a couple at the 2018 gala
woman at a previous gala event
couple being goofy at the 2018 gala
crowd at the 2017 gala
art piece at the 2017 gala
dancers at the 2017 gala
the drink bar at a previous gala
crowd dancing at a previous gala
friends dancing at a previous gala event
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Image above: Kehinde Wiley
Born in Los Angeles, CA, 1977  |  Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY
Equestrian Portrait of the Count Duke Olivares (detail), 2005
Oil on canvas, 108 x 108 in. (274.3 x 274.3 cm)
© Kehinde Wiley. Courtesy Rubell Museum, Miami

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Many thanks to our décor designers Steven Ford of Steven Ford Interiors, Jevettra Gardner of Avila Dawn Events, and Julianne Sojourner of My Friend’s Garden for their support.

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Sponsors