ArtBall 2024: Honoring Kehinde Wiley

On Saturday, May 4th, we held our 6th Annual ArtBall in honor of the distinguished artist Kehinde Wiley, presenting him with the Rees Visionary Award. Wiley is renowned for his revolutionary portraits that place people of color within the context of traditional Old Master settings, including his iconic depiction of Barack Obama in the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian.

This year’s ArtBall was uniquely memorable as it featured the inaugural ArtBall Salon and Dinner and a CNN profile on the evolution of the event and our work. The Salon gathering brought together industry leaders, social justice activists, VIP donors, and our Global CEO, Dr. Githinji Gitahi, alongside honoree Kehinde Wiley. The intimate dinner and fireside chats highlighted the impactful healthcare initiatives of Amref in Africa. During the event, Wiley generously pledged $700,000 to support these efforts.

The night’s highlights included an engaging performance by Les Ballet Afrik, an award ceremony, and an art auction featuring works by prominent and emerging Black and African contemporary artists such as Hank Willis Thomas, Adama Delphine Fawundu, Damien Davis, Dana Robinson, Jamel Robinson, and Lewinale Havette, among others. The auction, curated by Storm Ascher, Cierra Britton, Alexandra Scotland, Natalie Kates, and Nadia Nascimento, was hosted by Sotheby’s.

Thanks to the participation of our attendees, auction bidders, sponsors, and partners, we raised a remarkable $982,500. We especially extend our gratitude to this year’s sponsors, Pfizer and the Open Society Foundations, for their generous support.

The proceeds from this event will support our initiatives in maternal and child health, access to clean water, and training for community health workers, among other vital programs. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of this year’s ArtBall. Your support continues to make a significant difference.