The Henry Street Settlement, a nonprofit organization focused on social services in Lower Manhattan, has announced a new partnership with the Independent Art Fair for its annual fundraising gala, as revealed on October 9. This development follows the unexpected end of Henry Street’s long-standing collaboration with the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA), whose annual Art Show had been a major source of fundraising for the nonprofit since 1988.
Throughout its 36-year history, the event co-founded by Henry Street and the ADAA raised over $38 million, providing essential unrestricted funds to support the organization. Additionally, this year, the ADAA announced the cancellation of its fall fair, stating in a comment to Hyperallergic that it is taking a strategic “pause.”
This year’s gala is set to coincide with the opening night of the 17th edition of Independent, scheduled for May 14 to May 17 at Pier 36. The announcement confirmed that all proceeds from ticket sales will directly benefit Henry Street, which serves over 50,000 New Yorkers each year through various programs in social services, the arts, health care, and housing.
David Garza, CEO of the Henry Street Settlement, shared with Hyperallergic that this collaboration “creates new opportunities for our most vulnerable communities.”
This announcement also follows Independent’s recent news regarding a partnership with Sotheby’s, which will host a modern art fair this fall at its new uptown location in the uniquely designed Brutalist building by Marcel Breuer on Madison Avenue, as reported by Hyperallergic.
Elizabeth Dee, founder of Independent, expressed that the new alignment with Henry Street aligns perfectly with the relocation of Independent’s spring fair from Tribeca to Pier 36, making it more accessible to the historic nonprofit’s headquarters just blocks away. Dee also indicated that this partnership is envisioned to last, noting, “Henry Street will be the fair’s primary philanthropic focus moving forward.”
Amid ongoing financial challenges, social service nonprofits are working hard to recover from reductions in federal funding while preparing for potential future cuts. Garza pointed out the detrimental impact of funding losses from the US Department of Agriculture, which previously supported a vital New York farm-to-table initiative aiding low-income families across New York City and the state.
“When funding like that vanishes and food becomes scarce on people’s tables, that’s when we step in to explore alternative and creative solutions to fulfill that demand,” Garza explained. “The harsh reality is that the worst may still be ahead.”
