Save Venice’s 50th anniversary gala raises record $2.1 million

On Friday 8 April, Save Venice held their annual gala at Cipriani South Street in New York, celebrating the organization’s 50th anniversary — and raising a record $2.1 million that will fund their work in Venetian heritage conservation and scholarship.

The host of the evening was Lauren Santo Domingo, the lead ball chair and Save Venice Board Vice President, pictured (slideshow) wearing a gown by Oscar de la Renta, who sponsored the event along with Bulgari and Select Aperitivo.

*Incantesimo al Mare (*Enchantment by the Sea) was the theme of the night, which was brought to life by renowned event producer Bronson Van Wyck, who transformed the venue into a seaside dream, featuring a shell-encrusted bar, mooring poles, Venetian flags, and a show-stopping installation of a 10-foot tall oyster shell inspired by Botticelli’s painting The Birth of Venus, which guests ascended to take photos.

Among the 500 guests were Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark, Sienna Miller, Alex Rodriguez, and others.

DJ Olivier Meiji wore the 21/22 Venezia FC fourth shirt for the occasion. Venezia FC are making a donation to Save Venice from the sales of the Venetian flag-themed shirt this season.

Save Venice was founded in response to the floods of 1966, the worst in recorded history, and incorporated in 1971. Since then, Save Venice has worked to preserve, protect, and promote the art and culture of Venice and has funded the conservation of more than 700 projects comprising nearly 1,700 works of art. In 2015, Save Venice established the Rosand Library & Study Center in Venice, creating a nexus for the research of Venetian art, history, and conservation.

To learn more about Save Venice, visit www.savevenice.org.

(Photos: Matteo Prandoni/BFA.com)