Did Gala meet who? Tonight the glittering gaze of the world’s cameras will fall on the British Museum as the inaugural Pink Ball gets underway.
As more than 800 of the world’s most famous faces arrive at Great Court and the Round Reading Room to enjoy drinks at Ruinart Champagne House, they have an evening of excitement ahead of them: the chance to bid to have their pet’s portrait painted by renowned artist Tracey Emin, explore the museum or sit down to a delicious dinner in the galleries of the museum.
Here’s what we know – and who might be there.
It has the color pink as its theme
I’m crying Culllin (PA)
Part of the feel of the evening (and the reason behind the title Pink Ball) is that the entire evening was dedicated to the Ancient India: Living Traditions exhibition.
The food will be Indian, superstar sitar player Anoushka Shankar will perform (as will other superstars, apparently), and the evening will be co-hosted with Isha Ambani, India’s “businesswoman, philanthropist and arts patron.”
The pink color scheme of the evening comes from the colors of the exhibition – but no Barbie pink here. “It has to be this pink that almost has a bit of purple to it. It can’t be too blush or too flashy. It can’t be Barbie pink. It has to be right,” Cullinan explained.
Cullinan added that the museum’s galleries have been given a five-star treatment, with everything from the menu to the tables carefully designed. “They will look beautiful – very elegant, very cinematic,” he told the Times.
And yes – there will be a pink carpet. “If you pay £2,000 to attend a pink-themed ball at the British Museum, you want to walk in on a pink carpet,” he said. Reasonable.
Something different is on offer
Miley Cyrus (Matt Crossick/PA)
PA wire
Like the Met Gala, the event is themed around a particular exhibition, but Cullinan has also made it clear that he is not trying to emulate the world-famous Vogue-backed event.
“It’s flattering that people make this comparison, but that was not our intention,” he said. “In my previous job as director of the National Portrait Gallery, we even had a fundraising gala every two years, which was also very popular. The Princess of Wales was our patron and she would be there. Yet people never compared it to the Met Gala.
“And the British Museum Ball will be very different. The Met Gala is specifically to fund the Costume Institute, so there is a clear emphasis on fashion. I’m sure we’ll see lots of beautiful dresses too, but our guest list is deliberately much more diverse. And that reflects the wonderful diversity of culture in London.”
It has already raised millions for the museum
Although the exact proceeds are being kept secret, this is intended as a fundraising gala for the British Museum and features an extremely exclusive guest list. With around 800 tickets on sale, the Telegraph estimates that the museum has already raised around £1.6 million in revenue. Not bad.
It has a star-studded board of directors
Campbell (Jef Moore/PA)
PA wire
Despite Cullinan’s insistence that this isn’t the Met Gala, there will certainly be some starry faces at the British Museum when the ball starts.
Naomi Campbell and Alexa Chung, Miuccia Prada and Manolo Blahnik, Sir Steve McQueen and Sir Grayson Perry are all in attendance according to the Guardian, while the board of directors includes Campbell, Idris Elba, Sarah Lancashire and Dame Kristin Scott Thomas.
In addition to a number of high-net-worth individuals, it appears that Grayson Perry, Stephen Fry, Courtney Love and Zadie Smith will also be in attendance.
“We have people from academia, film, literature, music, politics and sports,” Cullinan told the Times. “Many come from all over the world and 70 percent have never set foot in the British Museum. I think I can reveal that our guests will include a few lionesses.”
All eyes on the British Museum tonight; sounds like it will be one to remember.
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