The Walker’s 2021 annual benefit, Party In/The Garden, was a vibrant, one-of-a-kind event, welcoming guests from around the world both virtually and in person to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden on September 18. Donors, artists, partygoers, and art-world luminaries gathered in a spectacular tent overlooking the Garden’s centerpiece and beloved Twin Cities icon Spoonbridge and Cherry (1985–1988) by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Proceeds from the event will provide vital funds to support the institution’s award-winning artistic and educational programs after a challenging year.
Presenting Party In/The Garden would not be possible without the generous leadership and support of the event co-chairs, committee members, and corporate partners, chief among them the Creative Partners Group and Pohlad Companies.
The Creative Partners Group, a platinum sponsor of Avant Garden 2019, continued to support the Walker as a corporate member during the difficult 2020–2021 season, and generously stepped up to support Party In/The Garden as a lead sponsor. The Walker is grateful for the opportunity to deepen its relationship and collaborate with such an innovative corporate partner. “We are thrilled to be able tosupport the Walker and Party In/The Garden,” said Jeff Sunberg, event co-chair and founder and CEO of the Creative Partners Group. “The Twin Cities is fortunate to have a creative engine like the Walker as part of its cultural fabric.”
The Walker also welcomed Pohlad Companies as a lead sponsor of Party In/The Garden. A longtime partner of the institution and a staunch advocate for the arts, Pohlad Companies has supported the Walker’s annual benefit since 2011 when the event debuted in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Mary Ceruti, the Walker’s executive director, remarked, “We thank Pohlad Companies and the entire Pohlad family for their steadfast support of the Walker and generous contributions to ensure a vibrant cultural community in the Twin Cities. We are particularly grateful for the guidance and advocacy of Walker trustees Donna Pohlad and Charlie Pohlad.”
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