The 125th Anniversary Gala

Honoring Kathryn & Kenneth Chenault and Audrey & Danny Meyer

Join us as we present the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal, the Municipal Art Society’s highest honor, to four extraordinary New Yorkers and celebrate their legacy of vision, leadership and philanthropy. The Medal is given to individuals who by their work and deeds, have made an outstanding contribution to New York City.

See Ticket Levels

Wednesday, June 6
7:00 PM

Bay Room at 28 Liberty Street
New York City

Tickets:
$1,500+ (All amounts in excess of $250 per ticket are tax deductible)

Philip Johnson, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Bess Myerson, and Ed Koch outside Grand Central Terminal
Philip Johnson, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Bess Myerson, and Ed Koch outside Grand Central Terminal.

About the 125th Anniversary and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal

For 125 years, the Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS) has worked to educate and inspire New Yorkers to engage in the betterment of our city. Created in 1893 by Richard Morris Hunt and a circle of civic-minded activists, MAS was founded with a mission to beautify the city through public art. Throughout its first century, MAS grew into the larger role of bringing the voice of the public into the planning, preservation, and policy debates that impact the lives of New Yorkers. Today, our work reflects a deep commitment to the process of community-based planning.

Our advocacy efforts have led to the creation of the New York City Planning Commission, Public Design Commission, Landmarks Preservation Commission, and the Tribute in Light; the preservation of Grand Central Terminal, the lights of Times Square, and the Garment District; the conservation of more than fifty works of public art; and the founding of such civic organizations as the Public Art Fund, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, P.S. 1, the Historic Districts Council, the Park Avenue Armory Conservancy, and the Waterfront Alliance.

Learn more about our history →

The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (JKO) Medal is awarded annually to individuals and organizations that have made an extraordinary impact on the quality of New York’s built environment. The award was established in 1994 to honor Mrs. Kennedy Onassis and her passionate efforts to preserve great architecture in New York City.

Learn more about the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal →

Honorary Chairs
  • Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg
Gala Chairs
  • Kent Barwick
  • Andréa and Ken Frazier
  • Frederick J. Iseman
  • Carol Sutton Lewis and William M. Lewis, Jr.
  • Janet C. Ross
  • Stephen J. Squeri and American Express
  • Margot Wellington
Kathryn and Kenneth Chenault
Kathryn & Kenneth Chenault.

2018 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal Honorees Kathryn & Kenneth Chenault

Kathryn Chenault holds a JD from NYU School of Law and a BA in political science from Tufts University. A former practicing attorney, Kathryn currently serves on the boards of: The Studio Museum in Harlem; Hospital for Special Surgery; and Pratt Institute from which she received an honorary degree in 2012. She is a trustee emeritus of NYU School of Law and the Alvin Ailey Foundation, and a former board member of the Municipal Art Society. Kathryn has been recognized for her longtime interest in architecture, serving on the Design Advisory Team to select the architect for the Obama Presidential Library, and the selection committee for the architect for the new Studio Museum in Harlem building.

Kenneth Chenault is Chairman and a Managing Director of the venture capital firm, General Catalyst. Prior to joining General Catalyst, Ken was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Express Company, a position he held from 2001 to 2018. Under Ken’s leadership, American Express was established as the foremost corporate promoter and funder of historic preservation in the United States. He joined American Express in 1981 as Director of Strategic Planning and served subsequently in a number of increasingly senior positions, including Vice Chairman and President and Chief Operating Officer, until his appointment as CEO. Ken serves on the boards of: Airbnb; Facebook; IBM; The Procter & Gamble Company; the Harvard Corporation; and numerous nonprofit organizations, including: the Smithsonian Institution’s Advisory Council for the National Museum of African American History and Culture; the National September 11 Memorial & Museum; and Bloomberg Philanthropies. He also serves on the board of trustees for NYU Langone Health.

Audrey and Danny Meyer
Audrey & Danny Meyer. Image Credit: Jane Beiles for The New York Times

2018 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal Honorees Audrey & Danny Meyer

Audrey Heffernan Meyer has long been involved in all things New York. For 25 years, she has served on the board of Theatre for a New Audience, whose mission is to develop and vitalize the performance and study of Shakespeare and classic drama. She was a vice chair of their successful $69 million campaign to build a permanent home in Brooklyn. The Polonsky Shakespeare Center, designed by Hugh Hardy, opened in 2014, and serves as a centerpiece of the Brooklyn Cultural District. Audrey is currently chair of their recently launched $45 million campaign for sustainability. Audrey is also a patron of the Whitney Museum of American Art’s Conservation program and the Museum of Modern Art’s Education program. After pursuing her own acting career throughout the 1980’s, Audrey is back to a full-time career in the theatre.

Danny Meyer is the CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group and the founder of Shake Shack. Union Square Hospitality Group comprises some of New York’s most beloved restaurants, including Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, and more. Danny, his restaurants and chefs have earned an unprecedented 28 James Beard Awards, and Danny’s recent personal achievements include the Julia Child Award (2017) and his inclusion on the TIME 100 list of the Most Influential People in the World (2015). Danny’s first business book, Setting the Table (HarperCollins, 2006), a New York Times bestseller, examines the power of hospitality in restaurants, business and life. An active national leader in the fight against hunger, Danny serves on the board of Share Our Strength and has long supported hunger relief initiatives including City Harvest and God’s Love We Deliver.

exterior of 28 Liberty Street, also known as One Chase Plaza
28 Liberty Street.

Bay Room at 28 Liberty Street

Bay Room is Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group’s first-ever dedicated event space, located on the 60th floor of this skyscraper in lower Manhattan, with 360 degree exposures offering stunning views of the city.

Formerly known as One Chase Manhattan Plaza, it was designed by Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, one of the leading architectural firms working in the International Style at that time, and completed in 1961.

The building was designated a New York City landmark in 2009.

  • large movie screen with company logo on it at the Gala
    photo 1 of 10
  • Diane von Furstenberg, Robert B. Tierney, and Carolyn Wakeman at the 2011 Gala
    Diane von Furstenberg, Robert B. Tierney, and Carolyn Wakeman at the 2011 Gala
    photo 2 of 10
  • people dine at tables in Vanderbilt Hall, within Grand Central Terminal
    2013 Gala at Grand Central Terminal
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  • Dan Doctoroff receives medal at the Gala
    Dan Doctoroff receives the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal from Jay Kriegel at the 2015 Gala
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  • attendees mingle at the Gala's After Dark Party
    After Dark Party 2018
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  • Joan Davidson at the 2011 Gala
    photo 6 of 10
  • Senator Chuck Schumer speaks at the Gala
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  • people dance at the Gala
    photo 8 of 10
  • Ambassador vanden Heuvel receives medal from Bill Moyers at the 2016 Gala
    Bill Moyers (L) presents 2016 Medal to Ambassador vanden Heuvel
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  • people mingle at the 2011 Gala in the New York Public Library
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Table Levels

125th Anniversary Sponsor — $125,000

  • Sponsorship recognition at all MAS 125th Anniversary events throughout 2018 calendar year
  • 2 tables with premium placement for up to 20 guests
  • Full-screen tribute/advertisement in the Virtual Journal displayed onsite at the event
  • Logo or listing on step-and-repeat backdrop for photos at the event
  • Two-page spread advertisement in the Program
  • Logo placement on the Program front and back cover
  • Acknowledgment from the podium as the Anniversary Sponsor

To purchase, please contact Jenna Petrillo at JKOGala@mas.org or (914) 579-1000.

Premier Sponsor — $75,000

  • Preferred listing in all print and online Gala materials
  • 1 table with premium placement for 10 guests
  • Full-screen tribute/advertisement in the Virtual Journal displayed onsite at the event
  • Logo or listing on step-and-repeat backdrop for photos at the event
  • One-page advertisement in the Program
  • Logo placement on the Program back cover
  • Acknowledgement from the podium as a Premier Sponsor

To purchase, please contact Jenna Petrillo at JKOGala@mas.org or (914) 579-1000.

Signature Sponsor — $50,000

  • Preferred listing in all print and online Gala materials
  • 1 table with premium placement for 10 guests
  • Full-screen tribute/advertisement in the Virtual Journal displayed at the event
  • Logo or listing on step-and-repeat backdrop for photos at the event
  • One-page advertisement in the Program
  • Logo placement on the Program back cover
  • Acknowledgement from the podium as a Signature Sponsor

Buy Signature Sponsor Table →

Sustaining Sponsor — $25,000

  • Prime listing in all print and online Gala materials
  • 1 table with key placement for 10 guests
  • Full-screen tribute and advertisement in the Virtual Journal displayed at the event
  • One-page advertisement in the Program

Buy Sustaining Sponsor Table →

Contributing Sponsor — $15,000

  • Listing in all print and online Gala materials
  • 1 table for 10 guests
  • Half-page advertisement in the Program

Buy Contributing Sponsor Table →

Ticket Levels

Benefactor — $7,500

  • 1 seat with optimum placement and prominent listing in all print and online Gala materials

Buy Benefactor Ticket →

Sponsor — $5,000

  • 1 seat with premium placement and preferred listing in all print and online Gala materials

Buy Sponsor Ticket →

Patron — $2,500

  • 1 seat with key placement and prime listing in all print and online Gala materials

Buy Patron Ticket →

Friend — $1,500

  • 1 seat and listing in all print and online Gala materials

Buy Friend Ticket →

Buy Tickets

Questions?

Please contact Jenna Petrillo at jkogala@mas.org or (914) 579-1000.

children play on the shore near the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo: Giles Ashford.

MAS is proud to fight alongside you for a city where growth is balanced and character endures.

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MAS is founded
1893

The Municipal Art Society Is Founded

The Municipal Art Society (MAS) is established on March 22, 1893, by Richard Morris Hunt and other civic activists, with a founding mission to beautify New York with public art. Throughout its first century, the organization expanded its mission to include the city’s buildings, streetscapes, and public spaces, with the aim of bringing the voice of the public into the debates that impact the lives of New Yorkers.

View Our Full History