PHOTOS: Inside El Museo Del Barrio’s 2026 Gala

Carla Martinez de Salas welcomes J Balvin to the stage. Peter Zwolinski/BFA.com

The annual El Museo del Barrio event, held last week at the Mandarin Oriental New York, brought together artists, philanthropists, collectors, cultural and political leaders to celebrate Latin American and Latino art and culture while raising more than $1 million to support El Museo’s exhibitions, educational initiatives, bilingual public programs and management of its permanent collection.

The evening’s honorees reflected the breadth of El Museo’s scope. International music icon J Balvin He is recognized for his visionary support of contemporary art and his commitment to the development of Latin American and Latino culture throughout the world. “I have always believed in bringing our music, our art and our sound to the world with pride and responsibility,” he told the assembled crowd. Art collectors Isabelle and Augustin Koppel They were honored alongside Balvin for their influence on the contemporary art canon. And honest and comprehensive Asterelita Brodskya formidable force in the Latin American art world whose decades have shaped institutions around the world, has received the inaugural Tony Bechara Heritage Award. The evening also saw the announcement of the winner of the 2026-2027 Maestro Dobel Latinx Arts Award: Artist Guadalupe RosalesHe will open his solo exhibition at the museum next year.

Asterelita Brodsky. Peter Zwolinski/BFA.com

“I do what I do out of love,” Rosales said in her acceptance speech. “Whether that be my artistic practice or my archival work, both have always been rooted in self-preservation and community, storytelling, and the belief that our history deserves to be seen, preserved, and remembered.” “This work comes from years of doubt and challenges, of people not always recognizing its importance, while at the same time, others like me felt seen, remembered, and reflected in it. I didn’t always fit well into art institutions as an artist, or into official archives and history as someone committed to preserving and telling these stories. The road wasn’t easy, but I kept moving forward. Recognition is a meaningful gesture, and I’m grateful for it, but what feels even more important is knowing that by not giving up, I helped this work succeed.” Space For artists, archivists, storytellers and future generations to come.

Given their role on the podium, the executive director of El Museo del Barrio Patrick Charpennell And the board of directors chair Carla Harwich Each spoke of the unique importance of the institution. Charbinel noted that the museum served as a “platform for voices that have shaped — and continue to shape — the cultural fabric of this country,” while Harwich noted that in a city where more than 40 percent of public school students identify as Hispanic or Latino, the institution offers young people “a place where they can see themselves, their histories, and their communities reflected with beauty and pride.”

As the night fell, guests sipped tequila cocktails, and Leo Gruber & Tren Latino put on a musical show that kept the energy levels high. An art historian was seen in the crowd Victoria EspinosaKoremanzuto is one of the founders Jose CoryModel and businessman Aleida Boyer and co-founder of CIMA Capital Alfonso AldreteWho mixed with the curators Rocio Aranda Alvarado, Deborah Colleen Morales, Susanna F. Temkin, Enes Katzenstein and Magnolia de la Garza. The lineup of artists included Pedro Reyes, Elia Alba, Elena Damiani, Yvette Mayorga and Jorge Mendez Blake.

It is worth noting, 2026 Museum Benefit Auctionpresented in collaboration with The Auction Collective, will remain open until June 3, 2026, so even if you miss this year’s gala, you can still raise a paddle to support El Museo del Barrio’s mission.