The Metropolital Museum of Art Hosts Multicultural Gala, 9/23

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will host its third Multicultural Gala, "An Evening of Many Cultures," on September 23, 2013. This year's event will honor Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Cookie Johnson, Estrellita B. Brodsky, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and the Sau-Wing Lam family for their broad-ranging efforts to further the sharing of art and culture in many diverse communities. This year's dance chair is Rosie Perez; dance vice chairs are Estelle and LION BABE. The benefit chair is Spencer Means. Proceeds will benefit programming for the Museum's Multicultural Audience Development Initiative.

EBONY is the media sponsor of the Multicultural Gala.

"We are delighted to join our many ardent supporters in heralding the amazing strides the Museum has made in sharing its vast global collections with so many related cultures and communities, both near and far," commented Donna Williams, the Museum's Chief Audience Development Officer. "We also acknowledge the important contributions our honorees have made to the public through their efforts to spread knowledge of many cultures."

Cocktails and Dinner
Dinner guests, who will arrive at the Museum at 6:30 p.m. will see performances by the Red Hawk Native American Arts Council Dancers; a troupe of South East Asian dancers led by Nrityanjali Artistic Director Chandra Banerjee; and Sylvia Jiaju Shen of the New York Chinese Cultural Center playing the pipa on their way to The Charles Engelhard Court for cocktails. There, Grammy Award-winning guitarist Nelson Gonzalez will perform music on the Cuban tres guitar. Dinner will follow at The Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing.

The dinner is catered by Restaurant Associates.

The décor was designed by Remco van Vliet of Van Vliet & Trap, Event Design.

Dance Party
The dance party will take place from 8:30 to 11:00 p.m. in the Museum's iconic Great Hall. A full bar will be available throughout the evening. Hors d'oevres- and later in the evening, desserts-will be served. Dance chair Rosie Perez, dance vice chairs Estelle and LION BABE, and the guests will dance to music by DJ D-Nice, who was previously selected by Obama for America to perform at the Inaugural Ball for the President of the United States.

Tickets
Tables for the dinner range in price from $15,000 to $35,000. Individual Patron tickets are $1,500. Dance tickets, which do not include admittance to the dinner, are $150 for existing Museum Members, or $250, which includes a Museum Membership at the Individual level. Tickets are available through Sunday, September 22 on the Museum's website at www.metmuseum.org/multiculturalgala, or contact the Museum by phone at 212-570-3755 or email at events@metmuseum.org.

About MADI
The Metropolitan Museum's Multicultural Audience Development Initiative reflects the Museum's founding mission to educate and inspire by reaching out to all of its constituencies, including the many diverse communities in the tri-state area. Its objectives are to increase awareness of the Museum's global collection and programs, to diversify its visitorship and Membership, and to increase participation in its activities. For more information on the Initiative visit the Museum's website at: www.metmuseum.org/multicultural