The Parrish Art Museum’s annual Spring Fling community celebration, fundraiser, and networking event on Saturday, April 21 attracted 400 partygoers, and raised over $130,000 toward supporting the Parrish’s year-round educational programs for children and adults. The 2018 co-chairs were Christine Curiale-Steinmuller, Maryanne Horwath, and Laura Wynne.
Spring Fling guests danced to the live band NOIZ, in the Lichtenstein Theater, participated in the silent auction, enjoyed a photo booth and open bar/hors d’oeuvres catered by Elegant Affairs, and explored the Parrish galleries.

The silent auction offered unique goods and services donated by the East End business and professional community, including a round of golf for four at Hampton Hills Golf and Country Club; four tickets to a taping of Dr. Oz; a gift certificate from Laviano; a stand-up-paddleboard lesson from Paddle Diva; plus gift certificates to area restaurants, fitness and spa treatments; wine baskets, luxury items, and more.

Spring Fling, initiated at the Parrish in the 1990s, consistently raises over $100,000 annually for education programs, including Access Parrish, an ongoing initiative that offers learning experiences specifically designed for youth and adults with varied needs and abilities, including children on the autism spectrum, and individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, or Parkinson’s Disease, and their care partners.

The Parrish continues to offer a wide variety of programs throughout the year: School collaborations, such as Museum educator-led tours, studio activities, and unique programs developed in collaboration with regional educators; After School Art workshops; school vacation programs; weekly Open Studios; bi-lingual family tours; and the annual Student Exhibition, presented during the month of February, showcasing student artwork from over 30 regional elementary, middle, and high schools. Since the opening of the new building in Water Mill, the Museum has directly served 6,100 children and families, offered 310 school tours, 185 open studios, 208 after school and community offsite art workshops, and 43 weeks of art camps.

Spring Fling is made possible, in part, by generous support from Premier Sponsor William Kirkland Basnight, Red Bar, Little Red, and Red Catering; and Diamond Sponsor Bobbie Braun, The Neuwirth Foundation.The Museum’s programs are made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and the property taxpayers from the Southampton School District and the Tuckahoe Common School District. Photos by Nick Baratta