After a COVID-enforced hiatus, the annual arts extravaganza hosted by chashama returned to Times Square last week.
Known for its outrageous interactive arts, the gala drew various members of the real estate community, including Douglas Durst and developer Martin Dunn.
All proceeds from the gala will go toward chashama’s Enliven NYC initiative, founded in response to the pandemic. Enliven New York revitalizes vacant storefronts by giving spaces to artists, non-profits, and small businesses.
Since its founding in 1995, Chashama has secured studio and presentation space for struggling artists by partnering with property owners around the city to provide unused space. Over the past 26 years, chashama has transformed unused space for 30,000 artists, hosted 4,000 public art events and provided 1,500 free art classes in underserved communities –reaching audiences of nearly one million.
Last Thursday night, it transformed the 36th floor of 151 West 42nd Street for the late-night gala which honored Martin Dunn, of Dunn Development Corp., and James Fuentes, owner of James Fuentes Gallery on the Lower East Side.
“This year’s Chashama Gala surpassed our wildest dreams,” said founder Anita Durst. “The gala is really a celebration of the artists and entrepreneurs who make our city sparkle.”
