British pop sensation Charli XCX, who created the zeitgeist of summer 2024 with her hit album Brat, is set to headline the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s (LACMA) prestigious Art+Film Gala on November 2nd. The annual event, a highlight of the Los Angeles society calendar, raises funds for the museum’s various programs. In particular, the event supports the inclusion of film into LACMA’s curatorial agenda.
This year, the gala will honor two prominent figures in the arts: Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, and artist Simone Leigh. Leigh, whose work powerfully explores Black femme subjectivity and cultural history, represented the United States at the 2022 Venice Biennale. Her critically lauded works from the Venice pavilion are currently on display at LACMA and the California African American Museum. That show, which was previously on view at ICA Boston, will continue through January 20, 2025.
“Simone Leigh is one of the most captivating and important voices in contemporary art, brilliantly melding an array of different artistic traditions and centering Black femme subjects in powerful and moving ways,” said Michael Govan, LACMA’s CEO and director, in a statement.
The evening will be co-chaired by actor and art collector Leonardo DiCaprio—who starred in Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet in 1996—and fashion designer and philanthropist Eva Chow. “I can’t wait for our amazing musical guest Charli XCX to bring the house down,” Chow said. The pair have co-chaired the annual event since its inception in 2011.
The Art+Film Gala is one of the most important annual events for LACMA, enabling the institution to support its diverse programs and exhibitions. Last year’s gala, featuring a performance by rock icon Lenny Kravitz, raised more than $5 million. Previous honorees of the event include Amy Sherald, Mark Bradford, and David Hockney. The party tends to be a star-studded affair, filled with Hollywood A-listers. Last year’s event was attended by Kim Kardashian, Brad Pitt, and Jennifer Lopez, alongside artists like Lauren Halsey, Catherine Opie, and Jonas Wood.
