On December 12, 2025, we will gather for the Portland Art Museum Gala—a joyous celebration of art, legacy, and the beginning of a new era for our Museum. This unforgettable evening will mark our first black-tie gathering in the beautifully transformed campus, and we cannot wait to share it with you.
Supporting our inaugural year
Proceeds from the event will directly support our inaugural year of programming— 34 exhibitions presented across our newly transformed campus—ensuring that art remains accessible, dynamic, and deeply connected to our community.
This landmark season features exhibitions that span genres and mediums, engaging audiences through an immersive installation by Pipilotti Rist, bold installations by artists such as Marie Watt and Ugo Rondinone, and intimate works on paper by Paul Harris. In our transformed spaces, nearly 300 newly acquired works will be on view, complemented by major presentations of artists including Mark Rothko, Rick Bartow, and Mary Henry.
Funds from the evening will also support our Inaugural Year visiting artist series, including Marco Brambilla, Nick Cave, Jeffrey Gibson, Christopher Myers, and Esperanza Spalding.
Honoring visionary artists
At this momentous point in our Museum’s history, we honor Carrie Mae Weems and the Rothko Family—two artistic legacies rooted in our city whose influence extends far beyond it.
Carrie Mae Weems
Carrie Mae Weems, a conceptual artist, unpacks and confronts constructions of race and femininity in the pursuit of new models to live by. Grounded in the specificity of her lived experience as a Black woman but universal in its explorations of family relationships, cultural identity, power structures and social hierarchy, her artistic practice is primarily photographic but also incorporates text, fabric, audio, installation, and video. Informed by narrative storytelling, folkloric traditions and the observational methodologies of the social sciences, her approach to image-making ranges from staged and serialized narrative to appropriation and adaptation of archival and ethnographic imagery. Weems takes aim at the complicity of the photographic medium in propagating dehumanizing tropes and the historical omission of Black women from fine art institutions and canons.
Weems lives in Syracuse, New York with her husband Jeffrey Hoone. She is currently the Artist in Residence at Syracuse University.
The Rothko Family
Mark Rothko, a pioneer of modern art, spent his formative years in Portland. The Portland Art Museum was among the first museums to exhibit his work, and the Rothko Pavilion stands as a testament to his lasting influence.
We honor both Rothko and the Rothko family, who have carried his legacy forward with vision and generosity, reflecting a shared belief in a vibrant creative future for PAM and for Portland.
Their story bridges our city to the global history of art and to one of modernism’s most iconic names.
The Event
The black tie evening begins with cocktails in the luminous new Rothko Pavilion, where guests will mingle amidst soaring glass walls and world-class art. From there, you’ll enjoy a lavish dinner inspired by the bounty and beauty of the Pacific Northwest, featuring seasonal ingredients at the height of their flavor.
This special evening is devoted entirely to art and community—there will be no paddle raise or fundraising appeals. Your sponsorship or ticket purchase directly powers our impact.
Committee
- Mary Boyle, Co-Chair Trustee
- Cyndy Maletis, Co-Chair Chair of the Board of Trustees
- Sharon Barnes
- Phillip T. Hillaire
- Alix Meier Goodman
- Angela Snow
- Bob Speltz
- Robert Trotman
Lead Sponsor – $50,000
- Premium table for up to 12
- Inclusion in Director’s Remarks
- Prominent acknowledgement in event program, pre-event communications, signage
- Opportunity to serve on the host committee
- Bespoke brand naming or activation opportunity
- Full page in the Gala program
- Private, after hours curator-led tour of the Rothko pavilion for you and 20 guests
- Tax-deductible contribution: $48,200
Major Sponsor – $30,000
- Premium table for up to 10 guests
- Inclusion in Director’s Remarks
- Half-page in the Gala program
- Private, after hours curator-led tour of the Rothko pavilion for you and 10 guests
- Tax-deductible contribution: $28,500
Table Sponsor – $15,000
- 8 seats at the Gala
- Recognition in printed materials, including the invitation
- Complimentary valet parking
- Tax-deductible contribution: $13,800
Dinner Tickets – $2,000 (tax-deductible contribution: $1,850)
Seating for one. Very limited availability.
To purchase a table or inquire about partnership opportunities, please contact:
Harper Brokaw-Falbo
Donor Engagement Manager
sponsorship@pam.org | 503.276.4297
In accordance with IRS guidelines, Donor Advised Funds (DAF) cannot be used to pay any portion of the cost of a ticket or table to a special event in which the full price is not tax deductible. The full value of tickets or tables must be purchased with personal funds. Donor-advisors should consult their DAF manager, tax advisors, and/or legal counsel with questions about proposed contributions and any other restrictions that apply to DAF grants.
Thank you to our generous supporters
Lead Sponsor
- Fred and Gail Jubitz
Major Sponsor
- Juliet Hillman
- Pat and Trudy Ritz
Sponsors
- 1803 Fund
- Bank of America
- Sharon and Keith Barnes
- Dan Bergsvik and Donald Hastler
- Rick Caskey
- CCS Fundraising
- Mark and Christi Goodman
- Heather Killough
- Ross Lienhart & Janeese Jackson
- Elizabeth F. Malarkey
- David Margulis
- Janet H. Geary and John Miller
- Mortenson / Hennebery Eddy Architects
- Thomas S. Hicks
- The Ritz-Carlton
- Cheryl Tonkin
- Joseph R. Trpik, Jr. and JaCee M. Burnes / Portland General Electric
- Robert and Elizabeth Warren
- Wendy Warren and Thomas Brown
- William and Helen Joe Whitsell
- Kim Ziebell
