Americans for the Arts celebrates 2014 National Arts Awards

Vicki and Roger Sant received the 2014 Eli & Edythe Broad Award for Philanthropy in the Arts from Americans for the Arts. (Joe Schildhorn/BFA)

Americans for the Arts presented its 2014 National Arts Awards to sculptor Richard Serra, ballet dancer David Hallberg and philanthropists Vicki and Roger Sant of Washington, D.C. at a black tie gala Tuesday that raised $800,000 for arts and arts education.

The event also honored P.S. ARTS,  an arts education organization in Venice, Calif., for its advancement of arts education, Madeleine Berman for her leadership and support of many arts institutions and the American Legion Auxiliary for its use of arts in rehabilitation therapy for veterans. More than 350 arts leaders and supporters attended the event at Cirpriani 42^nd Street in New York City.

Based in New York and Washington, D.C., Americans for the Arts is the nation’s largest advocacy organization for arts and arts education. It has presented its awards annually since 1996, honoring not only the country’s elite artists but also leaders of arts education and arts philanthropy.

The 2014 event was chaired by Maria Bell, with help from Edythe and Eli Broad, Sarah Arison, Agnes Gund and Julie and Edward Minskoff. The honorees were presented with awards designed by Jeff Koons.

Past honorees include Edward Albee, George Balanchine, Alec Baldwin, Frank Gehry, B. B. King, Natalie Portman, Kerry Washington and Chuck Close.