Get Your Hands on Museum-Worthy Artworks While Supporting the Contemporary Austin
Austin’s most dazzling art gala features an alfresco dinner and benefit auction supporting the museum’s exhibitions and education programs
This article is produced by TRIBEZA as sponsored content.
Gala season is abuzz in Austin, and a standout among them is The Contemporary Austin’s annual Art Dinner on Saturday, November 8. Set against the shimmering grounds of the museum’s Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park at Laguna Gloria, the 14-acre lakeside property transforms into an opulent alfresco dinner party where Austin’s most influential tastemakers, creatives and thought leaders gather to support and celebrate contemporary art in Austin.
As Austin’s only institution focused on contemporary art, the museum centers their exhibitions on living artists making work today, with community events, educational programs and an art school that fosters dialogue, uplifts voices, forges community and encourages creativity.
Vital to the evening is the Benefit Art Auction featuring extraordinary works by world-renowned artists — including up-and-comers like Austin’s own RF. Alvarez, the iconic Ed Ruscha, and the Turner Prize winner and 2026 Venice Biennale UK Representative Lubaina Himid, who was recently celebrated by the museum as the 2024 recipient of the Suzanne Deal Booth / FLAG Art Foundation Prize.
Unique to the institution, participating artists receive up to 50% of proceeds from the sale of their work, demonstrating The Contemporary’s commitment to supporting artists directly.
Silent bidding opens October 30 and closes November 9 at 5P CST. Live auction bidding will take place during Art Dinner on November 8. Absentee bidding is available for those not attending. Preview the auction works and learn more about bidding here.
Participating artists
Live Auction
RF. Alvarez, Tom Anholt, Sarah Crowner, Raven Halfmoon, Lubaina Himid, Koak and Ed Ruscha
Silent Auction
Gina Beavers, Andy Coolquitt, Brett Goodroad, Alison Hall, Karen Hawkins, Jessie Homer French, Matt Kleberg, Sahara Longe, Rose Nestler, Christiane Pooley, Eduardo Sarabia and Bari Ziperstein
All proceeds benefit The Contemporary Austin’s exhibitions and education programs.
Other ways to get involved
Capping off the evening, The Contemporary Austin presents the Art Dinner Afterparty hosted by Mama Duke. The Afterparty keeps the celebration going with a non-stop lineup of Austin’s hottest DJs, libations, late-night bites, palm readings and more.
Fresh off “America’s Got Talent,” two-time Austin Hip-Hop Award winner Mama Duke returns to The Contemporary Austin to host the affair — bringing the party back home with a live performance of her hit “Feels So Good to Be You.” Every ticket supports The Contemporary’s exhibitions and education programs. Tickets are $100 for museum members and $150 for non-members. Learn more at thecontemporaryaustin.org.
About The Contemporary Austin
As Austin’s only museum solely focused on contemporary artists and their work, The Contemporary Austin presents exhibitions, educational programs, and events that spark conversations and fuel the city’s creative spirit. With artist-centered exhibitions and collaborations, the museum invites exploration at both its urban and natural settings. The Jones Center (700 Congress Ave.) is a historic building located just blocks away from the Texas State Capitol with two floors of exhibition space and the Moody Rooftop. Through the ongoing mural program and Jim Hodges’ “With Liberty and Justice For All (A Work in Progress…),” the building’s facade has been transformed into a highly visible public art experience in the heart of downtown.
Laguna Gloria (3809 W. 35th St.) is a 14-acre lakeside campus that includes the historic Driscoll Villa, The Art School at The Contemporary, and the Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park, featuring a growing program of commissions, temporary projects, and a permanent collection of outdoor sculptures by artists Ai Weiwei, Terry Allen, Carol Bove, Sarah Crowner, Tom Friedman, Anya Gallaccio, Ryan Gander, Liam Gillick, Nancy Holt, Teresa Hubbard / Alexander Birchler, Paul McCarthy, Wangechi Mutu, Clare Rojas, Tom Sachs, Monika Sosnowska, Jessica Stockholder, SUPERFLEX, Marianne Vitale and Ursula von Rydingsvard.