CASITA MARIA CENTER FOR ARTS AND EDUCATION ANNUAL FIESTA @ PLAZA HOTEL

Ben Rodriguez-Cubenas With Jackie Weld Drake And Hunt Slonem

 

Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education brought its annual Fiesta! Gala back to The Plaza Hotel with Chairs Jackie Weld Drake, Jean Shafiroff, and HRH Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, where longtime friends, artists, philanthropists, and supporters gathered to celebrate the organization’s 92nd anniversary. 

The sold-out benefit raised the most to-date, and honored artist Hunt Slonem, philanthropist Sonia Gutt deHaime, and Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas, who received the Jackie Weld Drake Living Legend Award. 

 Hunt Slonem, recognized for his exuberant paintings of bunnies and butterflies was celebrated not only for his extraordinary career (with work displayed at The Met, Guggenheim, Whitney, and more), but for the spirit of creativity he shares with Casita Maria's mission. “For the last 35 years I have attended and supported this Gala and Casita Maria,” said he, “as a child, I wanted to be an artist due to the support I received in school. Casita Maria provides that same support, opening windows into the arts for many students in New York. Every child deserves a chance to dream, and together we can turn those dreams into reality.”

 

Maribel Lieberman

“For 98 years you have touched the lives of so many. You have taught us how to love, how to give, how to persevere, and how to live a life of purpose.” said Daniel Haime Gutt, presenting the award to his mother Sonia Gutt de Haime, who was surrounded by her entire family. A respected philanthropist involved in healthcare, education, and the arts, she has long been part of New York's art world and a devout supporter of Casita Maria.

 Supported from the audience by her three sisters Estrellita Brodsky, Martha Bograd, and Mercedes Levin, said Jackie Weld Drake, “Kids have come to us from underserved communities, with limited vocabulary and opportunities. Your support here helps us improve the quality of life for countless children, adults, and their families.”

 

Jean Shafiroff With Hunt Slonem

 It was the quintessential New York evening, a beautiful ballroom filled with familiar faces, including Jean Shafiroff in a Malan Breton turquoise ballgown, and in true Fiesta! fashion the event was light on speeches and heavy on dancing, with music provided by Bob Hardwick Sound.

 “I am proud to announce that the Rockefeller Brothers Fund just committed $100,000 to Casita Maria, a number I challenge us to match tonight,” said Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas, Casita Maria’s Vice Chair. His challenge was met with enthusiasm, fueling the evening’s lively paddle raise led by Paul Florez with over $200,000 raised on the spot! ContinuedRodriguez-Cubeñas, “For years, I have watched Casita Maria help the next generation of artists, teachers, doctors, andscientists from our own community. They teach our kids to read, learn, but also to imagine, create, and see themselves in their own story. These are the gifts Casita Maria gives our kids every single day.”

 

Hunt Slonem With Sharon Bush And Gary Faranella 

Mary Snow

 Over the years, the annual Fiesta! celebration has honored artists, designers, performers, philanthropists, and cultural figures, including Audrey Hepburn, Margot Fonteyn, Oscar de la Renta, Paloma Picasso, Gloria Estefan, Mary McFadden, and Baz Luhrmann.

 Notable attendees included: Board Members George Corton, Alberto Mariaca, Patrick Moran, Gautam Patel, Darlyn Portes, and Thomas Quick, Casita Maria Executive Director Felix Urrutia, Artistic Director Gail Heidel, Frederick Anderson, Martha Bograd, Jimmy Borynak, Halim Bulos, Gabriel Rivera Barraza, Estrellita and Daniel Brodsky, Sharon Bush, Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin, Fe and Alessandro Fendi, Gloria and Carey Fieldcamp, Sissi Fleitas, Roberta Houghton, Kamie Lightburn, Alicia Lubowski-Jahn, Elizabeth Meigher, Juan Montoya, Maribel Lieberman, Victor Roquette, Marc Rosen, Mary Snow, Adrienne and Gigi Vittadini, Saundra Whitney, Hal Witt, and Adolfo Zaralegui.

About Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education:

Founded in 1934, Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education is the first charitable organization to serve the Latino community in New York City, with a nearly century-long legacy of strengthening children, families, and communities through arts and education. Based in the South Bronx, Casita Maria provides free, high-quality arts and education programs for young people, including academic support, arts training, paid teen apprenticeships, career readiness, and preparation for college and the workforce. For generations, the organization has served as a vital cultural and educational home for the community, nurturing artists, leaders, and changemakers. Its programs celebrate the richcultural heritage of the Bronx while giving young people the tools and opportunities to learn, create, and thrive. Today, Casita Maria continues its founding mission of using the transformative power of the arts and education to build a more vibrant and equitable future.

For further information, visit: www.casitamaria.org

IG: @casitamariabx 

FB: casitamariabx

YOU: @casitamariacenterforartsan5686

Photos Courtesy Of Lawlor Media Group / Patrick McMullan / BFA