New York's Best Parties Of 2018

Ever since it's move downtown three years ago, The Whitney Museum's annual Gala and Studio Party has become the go-to event for cool kids, artists, fashionistas, and philanthropists to see and be seen - all while supporting the very important New York institution. In May, attendees including Ruby Aldridge, Hailey Baldwin, Jemima Kirke, and Sean Lennon helped raise $4.8 million for the museum.

The evening kicked off with an exclusive gala dinner, presented by Audi, honoring artist Lorna Simpson, as well as longtime Trustees Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo and Beth Rudin DeWoody. The dinner took place at across the museum’s first floor Kenneth C. Griffin Hall, and Andrea and James Gordon Restaurant at Untitled, finishing off with a heartfelt performance by Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award Winner Cynthia Erivo.

Following the Gala, guests were escorted to the 5th and 7th floors where the spaces had been transformed to allow attendees to mingle and view the current exhibitions. The indoor/outside space on the 7th floor was adorned with elaborate floral arrangements and interactive activities including digital photo booths from both Audi and Michael Kors. Between the cocktails, comfort food hors d'oeuvres, and buzzy entertainment from Saint Heron (DJ Like and DJ Kindness), the Studio Party turned into a late-night rager.

[Photo by Angela Pham/BFA.com][Hailey Baldwin by Getty/Dimitrios Kambouris]