The Henry Street Settlement, a nonprofit dedicated to social services in Lower Manhattan, has announced a partnership with Independent Art Fair to host its annual fundraising gala, as revealed in an announcement made yesterday, October 9. This development follows the unexpected end of Henry Street’s long-standing collaboration with the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA), the organization’s largest benefit since its inception in 1988, which was based around the annual fall Art Show.
Throughout its 36-year history with the ADAA, the event was a vital source of unrestricted funding, amassing over $38 million for the New York-based organization. Additionally, the ADAA has recently opted to cancel its fall fair, stating to Hyperallergic that they are taking a strategic “pause.”
This year’s gala will coincide with the opening night of Independent’s 17th edition, taking place from May 14 to May 17 at Pier 36. As highlighted in the announcement, the entire proceeds from ticket sales will contribute to Henry Street, an organization that assists over 50,000 New Yorkers annually through a variety of programs focusing on social services, arts, health care, and housing.
David Garza, CEO of Henry Street Settlement, told Hyperallergic that this new partnership is “a pathway to create opportunities for the most at-risk individuals among us.”
This announcement also follows Independent’s recent news about collaborating with Sotheby’s for its upcoming fall modern art fair at the auction house’s new location in a Marcel Breuer-designed Brutalist building on Madison Avenue.
According to Elizabeth Dee, the founder of Independent, the collaboration with Henry Street “appeared to be a perfect match,” especially with the relocation of its spring fair from Tribeca to Pier 36 on the Lower East Side, placing the event within proximity to the nonprofit’s longstanding headquarters and art center. She further expressed her vision that “Henry Street will be the primary philanthropic focus of the fair moving forward.”
Nonprofits in the social services sector are currently striving to recover losses from reduced federal funding and prepare for potential future cuts. Garza referenced the decrease in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which was instrumental for a critical New York farm-to-table initiative designed to provide sustenance for low-income families in New York City and beyond.
“When funding like this vanishes and food is taken from people’s tables, that is when we need to act swiftly to find alternative or innovative solutions to address that need,” Garza stated. “The reality is that the worst is yet to come.”
