BizBash | Events * Meetings * Marketing * Style * Strategy * Ideas

OTHER MARKETS

GOOGLE TRANSLATE

OUR TRADE SHOWS & EVENTS

CALENDAR

JOBS

MOST POPULAR STORIES

1. National Geographic Debuts Exhibit With Chinese Dragon, Tented Lounge

2. Obama's First State Dinner Calls on Marcus Samuelsson, Jennifer Hudson

3. 8 New Venues for Washington Holiday Parties That Won't Break the Bank

4. P.C.M.A. Honors Wardman Park, Fairmont at First Nighttime Annual Meeting

5. Art Basel Preview: New Convention Center Layout, Giant Beach Structure for Audi

6. New Moon Premiere Beckons 10,000 People and 2 Live Wolves

7. Eldon Luxury Suites: Spacious Penthouses for Receptions

8. MoMA Gets Suitably Whimsical and Macabre for Tim Burton Tribute

9. Masked Raconteurs Tell Tales at Moth Ball, and I Have a Blast

10. 8 Handy Gifts for Meeting Attendees

FROM NEW YORK

Morgan Loft Penthouse: Temporary Venue for Holiday Season

Sustainable Label Opens SoHo Pop-Up With Community Center Sensibility

Clinique and Teen Vogue Bring Young Women to Beauty Tour, Send Them Online

Masked Raconteurs Tell Tales at Moth Ball, and I Have a Blast

Gap, Banana Republic, American Eagle Open Stores With Musical Performances

MoMA Gets Suitably Whimsical and Macabre for Tim Burton Tribute

3 New Hotel Restaurants for Business Entertaining, Private Groups

Nintendo Launches New Mario Game With Look Back at Franchise History

Scripted Models Play Up Key Notes at Victoria's Secret Fragrance Preview

Ad Age Looks to Boost Conference Interaction With Beer Tasting, Lounge Seating

FROM LOS ANGELES

American Music Awards Begin With Redesigned Arrivals, End With Downsized After-Party

Bouchon: Thomas Keller in Beverly Hills, With Indoor/Outdoor Dining, Private Room

Us Weekly Takes to Voyeur With Scantily Clad Models, Burlesque Feel

6 New Venues for Los Angeles Holiday Parties

New Moon Premiere Beckons 10,000 People and 2 Live Wolves

$4 Million MOCA Gala Breaks Fund-Raising Records

Chrysalis Benefit Cuts Ticket Prices in Half, Draws Same Crowd

MOCA Gala Spawning Arty Online Auction—Including Gehry's Hat for Gaga—Through November 30

Wende Museum Closes Wilshire for Cold War Anniversary Celebration

3 Ideas for Stylish, Eco-Friendly Events

News Archive for Corcoran Gallery Of Art

FEATURE 06.22.09 11:30 AM

Washington's Top Benefits 2009

Artrageous
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash

1. Knock Out Abuse and Fight Night Gala
This two-in-one party encompasses the Knock Out Abuse Against Women gala—a lavish women-only fete for 650 at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C.—while 2,000 men simultaneously enjoy Fight Night, an evening of boxing matches at the Hilton Washington. The two parties join for a gender-neutral after-party. The dual fund-raisers for anti-domestic-violence causes and the health care nonprofit Fight for Children return November 5.

2. The Opera Ball
The Washington National Opera’s elite event brings some 500 guests—including Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Congressman Dennis Kucinich in 2008—to a different ambassador’s residence each year. The German ambassador hosted this year’s June 5 ball.

3. YouthAIDS Benefit Gala
Ashley Judd, Sharon Osbourne, and Anna Kournikova were among the 550 guests at Population Services International’s 2008 benefit at the Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner. The rock 'n' roll theme party, which raised $1.2 million for the organization, returns this November. MORE >>

Washington's Top 100 Events, Knock Out Abuse Against Women, Fight for Children, Washington National Opera, YouthAIDS, Corcoran Gallery of Art, National Italian American Foundation, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Meridian International Center, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Washington Ballet, Heart of America Foundation, Smithsonian American Art Museum, March of Dimes Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Folger Shakespeare Library, N.F.L. Players, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Phillips Collection, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Spina Bifida Association, Washington Performing Arts Society, Trust for the National Mall, Capital Area Food Bank, American Red Cross, D.C. Scores, Washington Humane Society

THE SCOUT 04.21.09 1:37 PM

Corcoran Ball Trend: Settings That Mix Textures and Patterns

A jungle motif tabletop detail at the Corcoran Ball
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash

Ecological responsibility was the theme for the 54th Corcoran Ball at the Corcoran Gallery of Art on Friday, as organizers incorporated everything from reclaimed timber to recycled, patchwork linens into the decor, but it was the diverse place settings—all custom made by Perfect Settings—in the nine dining rooms that stood out. Here’s a look at some of the event’s most striking displays. MORE >>

Corcoran Gallery of Art, Corcoran Ball

EVENT REPORT 04.21.09 8:00 AM

Inspired by Maya Lin Exhibit, Corcoran Ball Incorporates Eco-Friendly Elements

Gallery 1 at the 2009 Corcoran Ball
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash

On Friday night, the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s 54th annual Corcoran Ball carried a distinct eco-friendly message to its who’s who crowd of Washingtonians, among them White House social secretary Desirée Rogers and British Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald. With the museum’s current Maya Lin exhibition serving as the inspiration, the evening highlighted a panoply of recycled and sustainable materials, while staying true to its decor-heavy focus.

The event’s planning team—the Corcoran’s women’s committee, headed this year by ball chair Collette Bruce, and Occasions Caterers' Eric Michael and floral designer Jack Lucky—first met back in September to finalize the theme. “From the beginning, it was always meant to be a green event,” said Michael. “Subsequently, the world has changed and events in general are wanting to be a little less extravagant. So it was important that we focus on everything that had been done to keep the ball eco-friendly.” MORE >>

Corcoran Gallery of Art, Corcoran Ball

EVENT REPORT 10.28.08 4:06 PM

Richard Avedon Portraits Inspire Theme at Corcoran Gallery Benefit

Richard Avedon's "Portraits of Power" exhibition
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash

A sold-out crowd of some 900 guests mingled, danced, and sipped specialty cocktails at Saturday evening's Fall Fete, a black-tie gala at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Sponsored by the gallery's young benefactors organization, the 1869 Society, the fund-raiser benefited the Corcoran's adjoining College of Art and Design. Dubbed "Party With the Power Players," the event's theme coordinated with the current exhibition on display, Richard Avedon's "Portraits of Power."

A $200 "Power Player" ticket admitted guests to a private champagne reception on the gallery's second floor, where they had exclusive access to the exhibit for the first 30 minutes of the gala. "Blocking off the exhibition … helps create a more vibrant atmosphere downstairs while the attendance rises," said Guiter. Another advantage of the top-tier ticket: All-evening access to a private bar on the second floor, which overlooked the main atrium. MORE >>

Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1869 Society, Richard Avedon, Zip Car, Washington Life, Destination D.C.

THE SCOUT 04.23.08 9:35 AM

From Tutus to Tree Trunks: Details That Popped at the Corcoran Ball

Tutu-tufted chairs at the Corcoran Ball
Photo: J.C. Martins/Fotobriceno for BizBash

Vivid color schemes and Americana-inspired patterns could be seen throughout the Corcoran Ball's 13 dining galleries last Friday, with details ranging from tutu-tufted seats to Grand Canyon-inspired centerpieces. Here's a look at some of the evening's most vivid details. MORE >>

Corcoran Ball, Corcoran Gallery of Art

EVENT REPORT 04.22.08 4:16 PM

Corcoran Ball Dining Rooms Get Colorful Americana Interpretations

Layered sashes became giant chandeliers in the atrium.
Photo: J.C. Martins/Fotobriceno for BizBash

The Corcoran Gallery of Art hosted its annual Corcoran Ball on Friday night for some 1,200 Washingtonians. The museum turned 13 of its exhibition spaces into unique themed dining rooms, relying on the current exhibition, “The American Evolution: A History through Art,” and the advent of spring for inspiration.

Producing the event is a collaborative effort between Occasions Caterers' Eric Michael, floral designer Jack Lucky, and the Corcoran’s women’s committee, headed up this year by ball chair Nancy Smith. “As soon as one ball ends, the next one begins," Smith said. "The challenge is always to work with what exhibition is going to be up in the galleries.”

Added Michaels, "The format is always the same, but every year we come up with a whole new collection for decor. The notion for this ball was to try and capture aspects of Americana without being cliché." MORE >>

Corcoran Gallery of Art, Corcoran Ball

Q & A 04.07.08 9:50 AM

Occasions' Eric Michael Readies Americana Theme for Corcoran Ball

Eric Michael
Photo: Courtesy of Occasions Caterers

For the last six years, Occasions Caterers owner Eric Michael has produced the Corcoran Ball—coming up on April 18—at the Corcoran Gallery of Art with the museum’s women’s committee. This year’s ball, chaired by Nancy Smith, is expected to draw some 1,200 guests who will dine in 15 of the museum's gallery spaces, ranging in capacity from 20 to as many as 400. This 53rd edition of the ball will pay homage to the current exhibition “The American Evolution: A History Through Art” and the museum’s permanent collection of American art.

The event is an operation that takes months of preparation and a small army of staffers (210 waiters, 30 bartenders, 35 kitchen workers, and about 10 coat check and restroom attendants). In a countdown to the event, we talked to Michael about his waitstaff “war captains,” his Americana decor motifs (without red, white, and blue), and how he only gets one crack at making an impression.

The Corcoran Ball is just two weeks away. What are you working on now?
At this point, everything’s been chosen, the tastings are done, the orders are in, and we’re now working on logistics. This morning we had our final walkthrough with the curators, where we went through the entire museum and looked at what art would be hanging on walls. In certain sensitive places, the museum will have to remove artifacts to keep up the flow of 1,200 people. MORE >>

Eric Michael, Corcoran Ball, Corcoran Gallery of Art

INFLUENCES 05.21.07 1:16 PM

Where to Get Modern Ideas

In March, the Corcoran Gallery of Art opened what is being hailed as the largest exhibition on Modernism to be shown in the United States. Characterized by abstract forms, bold colors, and geometric shapes, “Modernism: Designing a New World, 1914-1939” features nearly 400 images and objects, including architecture, fashion, and paintings. More than 50 films from the period will also be screened as part of the exhibit.
MORE >>

Corcoran Gallery of Art

EVENT REPORT 05.21.07 11:05 AM

Corcoran Hosts a High-Style Night at the Museum

In many of the Corcoran galleries, spotlights projected patterns that matched the floral arrangements.
Photo:

In Washington, the Corcoran Ball is traditionally the first stop on every socialite’s gala fund-raising calendar, and this year the 52nd annual fete was moved up six weeks, to March 2, to allow prep time for the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s much-anticipated “Modernism” exhibition, which opened March 17. “This year was a slight challenge,” said Melissa Keshishian, the 2007 Corcoran Ball chair and a member of the women’s committee, which helps plan the event. “With the ‘Modernism’ exhibition, the time to plan was more compressed. We had to consider what was in the gallery, and that cut down on the space we could use.” The event took place throughout several galleries, each with a distinct theme reflected in the linens, lighting, china, and centerpieces—and even in the napkin rings. MORE >>

Corcoran Gallery of Art

Search the BizBash Event Supplier Directory

Search for Venues

By Type

By Neighborhood/Location

Show Only New Venues

Search Our Venue Directory