Dec. 14, 2016

Scottsdale Arts Hosts Jazz-Themed ARTrageous

Left, the cocktail hour. Right, top: Susie and Don Cognman. Right, bottom: Dr. Mark Smith and Gerri Smith

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts welcomed more than 500 guests Dec. 3 for Scottsdale Arts’ annual ARTrageous Benefit Gala. This year’s event had the Jazz Age as its theme, and guests dressed for the occasion, showcasing their best sequins, feathers and headbands.

The evening began with a reception in the Dayton Fowler Grafman Atrium and a silent auction and raffle featuring one-of-a-kind experiences. Santa Barbara Catering presented a three-course dinner before a live performance in the Virginia G. Piper Theater by “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook,” multi-platinum-selling entertainer Michael Feinstein. A captivating performer, composer and arranger of his own original music, Feinstein thrilled the audience with beloved standards, from Fred Astaire to Frank Sinatra.

Michael Feinstein

Sponsored by the young professionals of The Avant-Garde on Second Street (AG2), The Speakeasy After-Party carried on the night’s Jazz Age theme, complete with live music, dancing, cocktails, desserts and a cigar lounge.

Chaired by Gerri Smith, vice chair of Scottsdale Arts Board of Trustees, and honoring Susie and Don Cogman, ARTrageous celebrated the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts and programs of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) and Scottsdale Public Art. Proceeds will support not only world-class performances and exhibitions, but also a variety of quality arts education and outreach programs that reach more than 40,000 participants each year.

PHOTOS BY CASEY SAPIO