This article from Artnet News recaps a series of holiday parties and galas in the New York art world during December 2016. Highlights include the New York Botanical Garden's 18th Annual Winter Wonderland Ball, attended by Anne Hathaway, Tinsley Mortimer, and Andrew Warren; artnet's own holiday party featuring the Bumbys and a magician; ACRIA's 21st Annual Holiday Dinner honoring the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation and actress Judith Light; and Project for Empty Space's Winter Bacchanal Benefit, which presented the first Badass Art Woman Awards to curators Rujeko Hockley, Rocio Aranda-Alvarado, and Deana Haggag.
While the article is a lighthearted social roundup rather than a hard news story, it matters because it captures the intersection of art, philanthropy, and celebrity networking that sustains New York's cultural ecosystem. These events raise funds for important causes—such as AIDS research and emerging art spaces—and highlight the influential figures, from artists to curators, who shape the art world's social and financial dynamics.