Launched in 2000, ART FOR LIFE East Hampton is Rush Philanthropic’s primary fundraising outreach to friends and supporters. In 2005, Rush Philanthropic expanded its ART FOR LIFE franchise with the first ART FOR LIFE Palm Beach and in 2008 introduced ART FOR LIFE Miami. Outside of providing funding for our own core programs, proceeds from ART FOR LIFE East Hampton and ART FOR LIFE Miami also allow for the direct funding of more than 50 nonprofit arts and education organizations throughout New York City and South Florida. ART FOR LIFE East Hampton and ART FOR LIFE Miami cumulatively raised more than $2 million in 2008.
Art For Life Miami
ART FOR LIFE MIAMI - 2009
After three sold out successful years of ART FOR LIFE Palm Beach, we recognized that there was great need to support underserved youth arts organizations throughout South Florida. In 2008, Rush Philanthropic introduced the ART FOR LIFE benefit event to the Miami Beach community.
Held Saturday, April 5, 2008 at The Bath Club in Miami Beach, the inaugural ART FOR LIFE Miami benefit was a spectacular evening attended by over 500 influential members of the business, arts and entertainment communities. $575K was raised in support of our mission. Honorees included Grammy® Award winning artists John Legend and Wyclef Jean, Financial Expert and TV personality Suze Orman and real estate developer R. Donahue Peebles with Sean “Diddy” Combs as Honorary Chair. Sponsors included Platinum Sponsor R. Donahue & Katrina Peebles and Silver Sponsors Hennessy, Anheuser-Busch and Wal-Mart. Guests included Event Chair Tracy Mourning, Miami Heat players Dwyane Wade, Alonzo Mourning, and Ricky Davis, Kansas City Chiefs player Larry Johnson; film director and Miami native Brett Ratner, Scott Stapp of Creed and his wife Jaclyn, comedian Pauly Shore, TV personality and actress Julissa Bermudez, Latin sensation Paulina Rubio, singer Melky Jean, director/writer Ron Lang and many others.
While the vast majority of funds raised through ART FOR LIFE Miami will be used to address the vast ongoing needs of the at-risk youth Rush currently serves, twenty-five percent of the event’s net proceeds has benefited programs for disadvantaged youth in South Florida’s Dade County. 2008 ART FOR LIFE Miami Youth Beneficiaries included, DASH (Design and Architecture Senior High School), American Children Orchestras for Peace, enFamilia, Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center, Miami Light Project, Roxy Theatre Group, Honey Shine Mentoring Program, Soulfrito and The Theatre Institute of South Florida.
Art For Life East Hampton
Now preparing to celebrate the Tenth Anniversary ART FOR LIFE East Hampton benefit event, Rush Philanthropic was poised to make its ninth year an exciting celebration unlike any our friends and supporters had seen before. The evening, held in celebration of the creative energy of our New York City youth, honored exemplary individuals for success in their respective fields and good works to better the community. The 2008 honorees included Christy Turlington Burns, Frederick Iseman, Arnold L. Lehman and Norman M. Feinberg of the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Patrice Motsepe and Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe and Brett Ratner. CNN’s Soledad O’Brien was the evenings host.
Past honorees include actor Forest Whitaker, Alicia Keys, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, Judith Jamison, Donna Karan, Raymond McGuire, John Demsey of MAC Cosmetics, Tom Schutte of Pratt Institute, Ross Bleckner, Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s, Sherry B. Bronfman, Michael Goldstein, Earl G. Graves Sr., Tommy Hilfiger, Cathy Hughes, Linda Johnson Rice, Michael Lee-Chin, Cynthia Nixon, Gordon Parks, VH1’s John Sykes, and the Studio Museum in Harlem’s Lowery Stokes Sims). Past hosts have included Kelly Ripa, Queen Latifah, Star Jones, Rosie Perez, Cynthia Nixon, Mos Def and Cedric “The Entertainer”. Guests have included Governor David Paterson, Senator Chuck Schumer, Aretha Franklin, Top Chef’s Padma Lakshmi, Antonio “L.A.” Reid, Bob Johnson, Ken Chenault of American Express, Naomi Campbell, the cast of Sex and the City, Heather Graham, Harvey Weinstein, Juanita Jordon, Holly Robinson Peete, Gayle King, Martha Stewart, Usher, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jon Bon Jovi, Ron Perelman, Ellen Barkin, Betsey Johnson, Patricia Field, Al Roker & Debra Roberts, Ruby Dee & Ossie Davis, Jay-Z, Damon Dash, Katie Couric, Richard Parsons, Rev. Al Sharpton, Marty Richards, and Donny Deutsch of Deutsch Inc.
