Overview Art Party is the Whitney Museum's winter benefit: on a Tuesday night in late January the galleries stay open past closing, the lobby turns into a bar and a DJ plays against the street windows until midnight. It is thrown by the Whitney Contemporaries, the museum's young patron group, and it is 21 and over. Every year takes a theme and a dress code to match. The Whitney was founded in 1930 by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, moved into its Renzo Piano building in the Meatpacking District in 2015, and runs the Whitney Biennial, the longest-running survey of American art. On site The party takes the whole building. On the ground floor the lobby gallery clears for a long island bar under arcs of light, the Museum Shop stays lit behind its glass and the DJ booth goes up against the street windows. Upstairs the exhibitions stay on the walls and guests drink among them, in Kenneth C. Griffin Hall with neon text works lit along one side. The museum's own description of the night is crafted cocktails, passed bites, the galleries open after hours and dancing. In 2025 the building was dressed as Studio 99, with the Alvin Ailey show still up to walk through. Audience The Whitney describes the room as young patrons, emerging artists and art enthusiasts. They come late and dress to the year's brief - in 2026 it asked for the loudest prints and boldest patterns anyone owned - and spend the night standing, drinking, dancing and photographing each other. Talent and Influencers The night runs on DJs. The Dare and Raul de Nieves played in 2026. In 2025 the party went disco as Studio 99, with The Muses - Daniel Walters and Jack James - and Jenny Albright on the decks, Cynthia Rowley co-hosting for a second year, and a host committee that included the drag performer Tabboo and PAPER editor-in-chief Justin Moran. Each edition names its own co-chairs; in 2026 they were Steven Beltrani, Micaela Erlanger, Martine Gutierrez, Alexander Hankin, Ego Nwodim and Emma Safir. Track record Advance tickets sold out before the 2026 party, with a limited number held back for the door. Proceeds fund the museum's work with emerging artists; the 2025 edition went to the Whitney's Independent Study Program. Brand presence Maestro Dobel Tequila built the specialty cocktails in 2025 and poured them all night. Aesop sent guests home with a parting gift. Cynthia Rowley co-hosted two years running. Four sponsor logos ran on the 2026 event page. The museum keeps the guest list, the program and the press, and a sponsor's own reception in the building is booked separately through the Whitney's events team.