The intersection of high-end museum culture and Hollywood vanity is usually a recipe for a very expensive, very stiff dinner. But the LACMA Art + Film Gala is different. It’s weirdly specific. While the Oscars feel like a high school graduation for adults and the Met Gala has morphed into a frantic costume party for TikTok engagement, LACMA’s annual bash hits a different frequency. It’s the vibe of a smoky jazz club filtered through a Gucci lens. People show up not just to be seen, but because there’s a genuine, almost obsessive respect for the craft being honored.
Eva Chow and Leonardo DiCaprio have been steering this ship for years. It’s a powerhouse duo. Since its inception in 2011, the gala has raised tens of millions of dollars to support the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s film initiatives. That’s the "boring" logistical part. The actual reality? It’s the night where you see a legendary director like Martin Scorsese deep in conversation with a K-pop idol while a conceptual artist from Berlin watches them both. It’s a mashup that shouldn’t work. Yet, it does.
The Gucci Era and the Evolution of the Aesthetic
You can't talk about the LACMA Art + Film Gala without talking about Gucci. For over a decade, the Italian fashion house has been the primary sponsor, and for a long time, the event was essentially a living, breathing lookbook for Alessandro Michele’s maximalist vision. Now, with Sabato De Sarno at the helm, the aesthetic has shifted toward "Gucci Ancora"—a more streamlined, minimalist, yet punchy Italian glamour.
It’s a big deal. The shift in creative direction at Gucci directly impacts the "look" of the gala every year. In the late 2010s, the carpet was a sea of sequins, velvet, and enough ruffles to cover a small village. Now? We’re seeing deeper burgundies, sharp tailoring, and a return to skin and structure.
What's fascinating is how the guests adapt. You have someone like Jared Leto, who is basically the patron saint of this event, constantly pivoting his style to match the museum's evolving backdrop. It’s not just about wearing a dress or a suit. It’s about being a piece of the exhibit. The gala isn't held in a ballroom; it’s held on the museum grounds, often under the glow of Chris Burden’s Urban Light—those 202 cast-iron street lamps that everyone and their mother has taken a selfie in front of. Seeing A-listers navigate those lamps in couture is a spectacle in itself.
Honoring the Visionaries
The core of the night isn't the fashion, though. It’s the honorees. Every year, LACMA picks one artist and one filmmaker. It’s a deliberate pairing. In 2024, the museum honored artist Simone Leigh and filmmaker Baz Luhrmann. Think about that pairing for a second. Leigh’s work is grounded in the Black female experience, often using bronze and ceramic to create monumental, quiet, powerful forms. Luhrmann? He’s the king of "more is more," the man who gave us Elvis and Moulin Rouge!.
Linking those two together is what makes the LACMA Art + Film Gala intellectually stimulating. It forces the attendees—and the public—to find the common thread between disparate mediums. Is it the scale? The theatricality? The way they both use history to comment on the present? Usually, the tribute speeches are long, heartfelt, and surprisingly nerdy. You won’t hear many "I want to thank my agent" speeches here. Instead, you get deep dives into the importance of celluloid or the texture of clay.
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Why the "Art" Side is Frequently Overshadowed (And Why That’s a Mistake)
Honestly, the "Film" part of the title does a lot of the heavy lifting for the tabloids. It’s easier to write a headline about Kim Kardashian or Brad Pitt than it is to explain the significance of an artist like Mark Bradford or Betye Saar. But if you ignore the art side, you’re missing the point of why the event exists.
LACMA uses these funds to acquire new works. They’ve added hundreds of pieces to their permanent collection because of this one night. If you’ve ever walked through the galleries and seen a stunning contemporary installation, there’s a high chance the "Art + Film" money helped put it there.
- Acquisitions: The gala helps fund the "Film at LACMA" program, which screens classic and contemporary cinema.
- Education: It supports educational outreach for local students.
- Sustainability: The museum is currently in a massive rebuilding phase (the Peter Zumthor-designed building), and these high-profile fundraisers keep the momentum going during construction.
The tension between the Hollywood glamour and the academic art world is palpable. You have museum trustees who have spent decades studying art history sitting next to a 22-year-old influencer who might not know who Robert Irwin is. Some critics hate it. They think it cheapens the museum. Others, like LACMA Director Michael Govan, see it as the only way to keep a museum relevant in a city that is defined by the moving image.
The DiCaprio Factor
Let’s talk about Leo. He isn't just a name on the invite. Leonardo DiCaprio’s involvement since the beginning has given the gala a level of "cool" that most museum boards would kill for. He’s famously private, but he’s there every year, usually tucked into a corner talking to someone like Alejandro González Iñárritu or Steven Spielberg.
His presence ensures that the "Film" part of the evening remains prestigious. This isn't a "starlet of the week" kind of party. It’s a gathering of the heavyweights. When DiCaprio co-chairs, people show up. It’s that simple.
The Red Carpet Logistics No One Tells You
If you ever find yourself near Wilshire Boulevard on the night of the gala, the first thing you’ll notice is the traffic. It’s a nightmare. The second thing you’ll notice is the security. It’s tighter than the White House.
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The red carpet is actually quite long, snaking through the museum's campus. Because the event happens in November, there’s always a 50/50 chance of a "Los Angeles winter" chill. Seeing people in sheer gowns trying to look warm while standing next to a giant rock (Michael Heizer’s Levitated Mass) is a classic LACMA sight.
Inside the tent, the dinner is notoriously long. We’re talking three to four courses, interspersed with high-concept film montages and live performances. In the past, they’ve had everyone from Florence + The Machine to Billie Eilish perform. It’s an intimate concert for about 600 of the most influential people in the world.
Misconceptions About the Gala
People often think this is just another stop on the awards season circuit. It’s not. The LACMA Art + Film Gala usually happens in early November, which is before the real heat of the Oscars race kicks in.
It’s more of a "state of the union" for the LA creative class. It’s where deals are whispered about over braised short ribs. It’s also not a public event. You can’t just buy a ticket because you have a few thousand dollars lying around. Tables are sold to major donors and brands, and the guest list is curated with surgical precision. If you’re not an A-list actor, a significant artist, a major collector, or a fashion power player, you’re probably not getting in.
Another misconception? That it's all about "The Industry." Actually, the international presence is huge. Because of LACMA’s deep ties to Korean art and cinema, you’ll often see a massive contingent of stars from Seoul. This cross-cultural exchange is a deliberate move by Govan and Chow to position LACMA as a "Pacific Rim" museum, not just an American one.
The Cultural Impact of 13+ Years
Since it started in 2011, the gala has raised over $80 million. That is an insane amount of money for a single annual event. It has allowed LACMA to remain one of the few museums in the world that treats film with the same reverence as painting or sculpture.
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Think about the filmmakers who have been honored:
- Quentin Tarantino
- Martin Scorsese
- Stanley Kubrick (posthumous)
- Kathryn Bigelow
- George Lucas
- Alfonso Cuarón
- Guillermo del Toro
- Steven Spielberg
That is a list of the greatest living directors. By placing them on a pedestal alongside artists like Ed Ruscha or Catherine Opie, LACMA is making a statement: the "art" in "Art + Film" is equal.
How to Engage with LACMA Art + Film (Even If You Aren't Invited)
Most of us won't be sipping champagne with Salma Hayek anytime soon. But that doesn't mean the gala doesn't affect the average museum-goer.
The weeks following the gala are usually the best time to visit the museum. There is often a surge of energy, and new acquisitions funded by the event start to trickle into the galleries. Plus, the museum often hosts screenings and talks related to the year's honorees.
If you want to understand the "soul" of Los Angeles, you have to look at this event. It’s the perfect microcosm of the city: beautiful, slightly elitist, obsessed with the new, but deeply respectful of the legends who built the foundations of visual culture.
Actionable Steps for the Art and Film Enthusiast
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world that the LACMA gala celebrates, you don't need a tuxedo. You just need curiosity.
- Visit the "Film at LACMA" Calendar: Check the museum's website for their screening schedule. They often show rare 35mm prints that you can't find on streaming services.
- Follow the Honorees: Don't just look at the red carpet photos. Look up the work of the artists being honored. If it’s Simone Leigh, look at her Venice Biennale exhibition. If it’s Amy Sherald, look at her portraiture.
- Explore the Permanent Collection: Go to the museum and look for the labels that say "Gift of [Donor Name] via the Art + Film Gala." It turns a celebrity party into a tangible piece of history you can stand in front of.
- The Urban Light Ritual: Go to the museum at night. The street lamps are lit every evening from dusk until 10:00 PM. It’s free, it’s iconic, and for a second, you’ll feel the same magic that the gala guests feel—without the $10,000 price tag.
The LACMA Art + Film Gala is a reminder that in a city often accused of being shallow, there is a deep, expensive, and very stylish commitment to making sure the arts don't just survive, but actually thrive. It’s a weird, glittering anomaly. Long may it continue.