Celebrating 25 Shimmering Years of KID smART: Cocktails for KID smART 2024
In 2024, KID smART celebrates its 25th anniversary as an organization- a quarter century of education through imagination in New Orleans! To commemorate this huge milestone, the organization’s annual fundraising event, Cocktails for KID smART, got a whole lot more… sparkly! The silver themed gala boasted shimmering outfits, libations by Sazerac, glitter by Elektra Cosmetics, and over 200 attendees!
Hosted at The Cannery, the venue was ablaze with the love of art and education. The event featured art by Ruth Owens care of the FERRERA SHOWMAN Gallery. Owens’ piece, Dark Alocasia, stood as the crowning jewel of the night’s live auction. The glitzy centerpieces, painted silver and featuring actual paint cans and art supplies, were made possible by Helm Paint. ISL Circus Arts brought the arts to life with their stilt work, juggling, and glimmering costumes. After perusing the art (and grabbing a few drinks), attendees snapped pictures in the Crafty Capturez photobooth and danced to music by the Jenn Howard Band and DJ Rusty Lazer.
During the evening’s program, KID smART Executive Director Elise Gallinot Goldman spoke about what makes KID smART so special: its ability to persevere and endure throughout the hardest of times—because art is nothing if not resilient and all-encompassing of the human spirit. The live auction, presided over by local celebrity Bryan Batt, resulted in the donation of Dark Alocasia to Ochsner Health.
The event yielded $180,000 in donations, the most ever raised in Cocktails for KID smART history! Through fundraising and our donors' generosity, KID smART’s impact continues to expand in the greater New Orleans area. Without this support, our programming wouldn’t be possible. A special thank you to Cocktails for KID smART’s co-chairs, Michael Mimeles, Gretchen Weller Howard, and Nancia Sterling for making the event a sparkling success. The outpouring of love and support from those in attendance was palpable, and it was a marvel to see so many help further the mission of KID smART. Here’s to 25 great years of innovative education—and to many more! Cheers!
Photos by Kate Gegenheimer
Thank You To Our Committee
Jeremy Jones
J.R. Weiland
Lauren & Patrick Templeman
Leigh & Robby Moss
Lori & Jerome Jupiter
Martine Chaisson Linares
Nancy & Matthew Rebold
Rebecca & Richard Weber
Robin & Bruce Crutcher
Scott & Janet Howard
Sissy Blewster
Stephanie Coln
Susu & Andrew Stall
Barbara & Tom Sands
Bryan Batt & Tom Cianfichi
Caroline Hayes
Celeste Coco-Ewing & Tom Ewing
Claire Thriffiley
Courtney Marse
Dino & Ragan Gankendorff
Dr. Jarrett Johnson
Drs. Gwenesta & Kenneth Melton
Echo Olander
Erin Hymel
Felicia Rabito & Bill Ellison
Haley Kraus
