Serpentine Summer Party Raises Funds for Galleries' 2026 Programme
On June 23, 2026, the Serpentine Summer Party took place in Kensington Gardens, hosted by Michael R. Bloomberg, Chairman of Serpentine’s Board of Trustees; Bettina Korek, CEO; and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director. Co-hosts included Salma Hayek Pinault, Alfonso Cuarón, and Alejandro González Iñárritu. The evening brought together supporters and leading figures from art, culture, fashion, architecture, business, and technology. Guests experienced an artist-led journey through the gardens, encountering highlights from Serpentine’s summer programme, including major exhibitions by Cecily Brown ("Picture Making") and David Hockney ("A Year in Normandie and Other Thoughts on Painting"), alongside special activations centred on the 2026 Serpentine Pavilion, a serpentine structure designed by Mexico City–based LANZA atelier. A public art installation, Pénétrable BBL Jaune (1999; 2023 Edition) by Jesús Rafael Soto, was also on view.
The Signal
The event underscores Serpentine’s strategy of leveraging high-profile social gatherings to fund its ambitious public programme and maintain its role as a bellwether for contemporary art in London. The inclusion of major solo shows by Cecily Brown and David Hockney signals a continued focus on established, market-stable artists alongside architectural innovation from emerging practices like LANZA atelier. For collectors and curators, the evening reaffirms Serpentine’s ability to attract cross-sector patronage, a model that other institutions may seek to emulate in an increasingly competitive fundraising environment.
- Artists: Cecily Brown, David Hockney, Jesús Rafael Soto
- People: Michael R. Bloomberg, Bettina Korek, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Salma Hayek Pinault, Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro González Iñárritu
- Museums: Serpentine Galleries
- Locations: London
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