Celebrating the Art of the American South

Ogden Museum of Southern Art and co-chairs Fern Watters and Kaye Courington invite you to O What a Night! Gala, the Museum’s signature fundraising event. The gala will be held on October 18, and features a live auction of artwork and a seated dinner amongst a community of artists and art enthusiasts, followed by live music and dancing. Your contribution to the O What a Night! Gala 2025 will provide critical funds for the Museum’s award-winning educational programs and dynamic exhibitions of art of the American South.

The 2025 O What a Night! Gala will honor Opus Award recipients: Dawn DeDeaux, an internationally acclaimed, New Orleans-based multimedia artist and Randy K. Haynie, a longstanding advocate and philanthropist for the arts in Louisiana. With our recent acquisitions of the historic Patrick F. Taylor Library and Stephen Goldring Hall, which house the Museum’s permanent collection, rotating exhibitions and educational programs, this year will truly be a memorable celebration.

What makes this event so special? The people and the art! People from all over the country will be able to bid on works of art in the silent auction and live auction. Year after year, art collectors look forward to viewing all of the beautiful works of art created by artists of the South.

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Learn more about our 2025 Opus Awards recipients below!

Ticket Opportunities

Benefactor Table – $10,000

  • 8 tickets to the Patron Party and auction preview on Thursday, October 16, 2025
  • 8 tickets to cocktails, silent auction and seated Gala dinner/ live auction with preferred placement on Saturday, October 18, 2025
  • Acknowledged on printed and digital materials
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Patron Host (Half Table) – $5,000

  • 4 tickets to the Patron Party and auction preview on Thursday, October 16, 2025
  • 4 tickets to cocktails, silent auction and seated Gala dinner/ live auction with preferred placement on Saturday, October 18, 2025
  • Acknowledged on printed and digital materials
purchase tickets

Patron Ticket – $1,300

  • 1 ticket to the Patron Party and auction preview on Thursday, October 16, 2025
  • 1 ticket to cocktails, silent auction and seated Gala dinner/ live auction on Saturday, October 18, 2025
  • Acknowledged on printed and digital materials
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Supporter Ticket – $700

  • 1 ticket to cocktails, silent auction and seated Gala dinner/ live auction on Saturday, October 18, 2025
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O What a Night! is made possible by the generous support of:

KAYE COURINGTON
Patron Party Host

BEVERLY DALE
Patron Party Sponsor

THIBODAUX REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEMS
Live Auction Sponsor

THE JENKINS FAMILY
Dinner Sponsor

MICHAEL MIMELES
Music Sponsor

WENDY RODRIGUE & DOUGE MAGNUS
Decor Sponsor

ELEMENT
The Helis Foundation
Premium Parking
SAZERAC / Goldring Family Foundation
St. Charles Avenue
The Times-Picayune | nola.com

Live Auction Artists

Michael J. Deas

David Harouni

Gregory Saunders

More to be announced!

Silent Auction Artists

Richard Albertine
Renee Allie
Jourdan Barnes
Megan Barra
Mark Bercier
Anna Bernard
Sesthasak Boonchai
Tiffany Calvert
James Constantine
Ginger Williams Cook
Dartanya Croft
Kara Crowley
Jenny Day
William Dunlap
Brandon Felix
James Flynn
Sophia Germer
Cheryl Grace
Charles Gudaitis
Harvey Sherman Harris
Lois Hebert

Sally Heller
Deniz Türkoğlu Hewes
Andre’ Hubbard
Kathryn Hunter
Susan Ireland
Emre Karaoglu
Grace Kelly
Mary J. Kirsch
Frahn Koerner
Sharon Kopriva
Lily LaGrange
Diego Larguia
Kristina Larson
Cameron Lartigue
Andrew Liles
Richard McCabe
Bridget McEnerney
Becca McGirney
David Rae Morris
Jason Myers

Dominick Navarra
Dung “Donkey” Nguyen
Nonney Oddlokken
Ruth Owens
Sherry Owens
Piki Mendizabal
Marianne Angeli Rodriguez
Michael Roque Collins
Taylor Sacco
Richard Sexton
Elizabeth Shannon
Katie Singleton
Holly Sutherlin
Lue Svendson
Trenity Thomas
Emery Tillman
Jose Torres-Tama
Natalie Vitrano
John Isiah Walton
Myra Williamson Wirtz
William Wiloughby

About 2025 Opus Award recipients

Paul Costello for The New York Times

About Dawn DeDeaux

Dawn DeDeaux is an internationally acclaimed, New Orleans-based multi-media artist whose interdisciplinary practice draws upon art history, philosophy, anthropology, literature and science to comment upon the human condition and the future of our planet. Over the course of a career which spans five decades, her work has been shown in some of the world’s leading museums, including Whitney Museum of American Art, Mass MoCA, Hammer Museum, Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, New Orleans Museum of Art and Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Locally, her work has been featured in Prospect New Orleans and Poydras Corridor Sculpture Exhibition. Her list of honors is lengthy, and includes the American Academy in Rome’s prestigious Prix de Rome. She continues to push her studio practice and nurture important dialogues from her New Orleans studio, Camp Abundance.

About Randy K. Haynie

Randy K. Haynie is the owner and president of Haynie & Associates, a government relations firm established in 1980 with offices in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, Louisiana. In addition to representing business and industry nationwide, Haynie has committed to public service through civic and professional organizations including the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, Hilliard Art Museum, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Foundation Board of Directors, the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion Preservation Foundation, and the Arts and Culture Fund of the Community Foundation of Acadiana. Haynie has been integral to the establishment of Ogden Museum of Southern Art, serving as an inaugural board member and fundraising advocate. Most recently, Haynie helped Ogden Museum acquire two significant buildings: Patrick F. Taylor Library and Stephen Goldring Hall. Haynie has received lifetime achievement and supporter awards from the Louisiana Partnership for the Arts, the Acadian Center for the Arts, and the Louisiana Association of Museums, among others.

Benefactors

Coleman E. Adler II
Roger Ogden & Ken Barnes

Charles D. Urstadt & David Bernard
Cyndi & Hal Broussard
Timber & Peggy Floyd

Haynie Family Foundation
WWNO

Patron Hosts

Adler’s, First Horizon Bank, Mignon Faget, LTD., Debra J. Fischman, Tyson Geary, Hancock Whitney Bank, New Orleans & Company, Pan-American Life Insurance Group, Holly & Geoff Snodgrass, Total Wine & More, Jason Waguespack & Jeffery Morgan, Fern & Kevin Watters

Patrons

Mary Becnel, Susan & Ralph Brennan, Monica A. Frois & Eve B. Masinter, Monique & Warren Gardner, Laurie & James Kalyvas, Catherine & Jason Kuuskraa, Jackson & Donna Little, Catherine Makk, Judith Oudt, PJ’s Coffee, Laura & Sonny Shields, Taylor Clark Gallery, Joey Walker & John Malta

Event Committee

Suzie & Ted Bloch, Susan & Ralph Brennan, Debra Fischman, Monica Ann Frois & Eve Barrie Masinter, Monique & Warren Gardner, Tyson Geary, Alice & Brodie Glenn, William Goldring, Jessie & Beau Haynes, Catherine & Jason Kuuskraa, Catherine Makk, Matthew B. Moreland, Michelle & Field Ogden, Judie Oudt, Jacques and Mallory Page Rodrigue, Nathalie Simon, Holly & Geoffrey P. Snodgrass, Charles D. Urstadt & David Bernard, Sharonda R. Williams, Elizabeth & James Williams

Sponsorship Opportunities

O WHAT A NIGHT! TITLE SPONSOR: $50,000

  • Name recognition (“O What a Night! Gala Presented by Title Sponsor”) as Title Sponsor on all print and digital materials including 2,000 printed invitations and 400 event programs and catalogs
  • Name recognition on 400+ Gala dinner menu cards
  • Name and logo recognition on Gala’s step and repeat banner and on projection screens throughout the event
  • Logo recognition as title sponsor on Gala web page, with link to sponsor’s website (average of 30,000 pageviews per month)
  • Logo and name recognition via social media outlets (67,200+ followers)
  • Personal acknowledgment during Gala dinner and live announcement by auctioneer
  • Logo placement on table numbers
  • 24 tickets to the O What a Night! Gala Patron Party
  • 3 tables at the O What a Night! Gala with first row placement, which includes a dedicated service captain and an elevated wine selection (24 seats, $30,000 value)

PATRON PARTY SPONSOR: $30,000

  • Name recognition as Underwriter on all print and digital materials including 2,000 printed invitations and 400 event programs and catalogs
  • Name and logo recognition on Gala’s step and repeat banner and on projection screens throughout the event
  • Logo recognition as Patron Party sponsor on Gala web page, with link to sponsor’s website (average of 30,000 pageviews per month)
  • Personal acknowledgment during Gala dinner and live announcement by auctioneer
  • Logo and name recognition via social media outlets (67,200+ followers)
  • Name and logo recognition (“O What a Night! Patron Party Presented by Sponsor”) on signage at Patron Party
  • Logo placement on table numbers
  • Opportunity for branded materials at Patron Party
  • 16 tickets to the O What a Night! Gala Patron Party
  • 2 tables at the O What a Night! Gala with first row placement, which includes a service captain and an elevated wine selection (16 seats, $20,000 value)

LIVE AUCTION SPONSOR: $25,000

  • Name recognition as Live Auction Sponsor on all print and digital materials including 2,000 printed invitations and invitation inserts, as well as 400 event programs and catalogs
  • Name and logo recognition on Gala’s step and repeat banner and on projection screens throughout the event
  • Logo recognition as Underwriter on Gala web page, with link to sponsor’s website (average of 30,000 pageviews per month)
  • Logo and name recognition via social media outlets (67,200+ followers)
  • Personal acknowledgment during Gala dinner and live announcement by auctioneer
  • Logo placement on bidding paddles
  • 16 tickets to the O What a Night! Gala Patron Party
  • 2 tables at the O What a Night! Gala with first row placement, which includes a service captain and an elevated wine selection ( 16 seats, $20,000 value)

GALA TENT SPONSOR: $20,000

  • Name recognition as Sponsor on all print and digital materials including 2,000 printed invitations and 400 event programs and catalogs
  • Name and logo recognition on Gala’s step and repeat banner and on projection screens throughout the event
  • Name recognition as Sponsor on Gala web page (average of 30,000 pageviews per month)
  • Recognition signage at tent entrance
  • 8 tickets to the O What a Night! Gala Patron Party
  • 1 table at the O What a Night! Gala with premium placement, which includes a service captain and an elevated wine selection (8 seats)

DINNER SPONSOR: $15,000

  • Name recognition as Sponsor on all print and digital materials including 2,000 printed invitations and 400 event programs and catalogs
  • Name and logo recognition on Gala’s step and repeat banner and on projection screens throughout the event
  • Name recognition as Sponsor on Gala web page (average of 30,000 pageviews per month)
  • Name and logo recognition on 400 Gala dinner menu cards
  • 8 tickets to the O What a Night! Gala Patron Party
  • 1 table at the O What a Night! Gala with premium placement, which includes a service captain and an elevated wine selection (8 seats)

MUSIC SPONSOR: $10,000

  • Name recognition as Sponsor on all print and digital materials including 2,000 printed invitations and 400 event programs and catalogs
  • Sponsor acknowledgment during announcement of musical act
  • Name and logo recognition on projection screens throughout the event
  • Name recognition as Sponsor on Gala web page (average of 30,000 pageviews per month)
  • 4 tickets to the O What a Night! Gala Patron Party
  • Half table at the O What a Night! Gala with preferred placement, which includes a service captain and an elevated wine selection (4 seats)

DECOR SPONSOR: $10,000

  • Name recognition as Sponsor on all print and digital materials including 2,000 printed invitations and 400 event programs and catalogs
  • Sign recognition at tent and library entryways
  • Name recognition as Sponsor on Gala web page (average of 30,000 pageviews per month)
  • 4 tickets to the O What a Night! Gala Patron Party
  • Half table at the O What a Night! Gala with preferred placement, which includes a service captain and an elevated wine selection (4 seats)

INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING THIS EVENT AS A SPONSOR? CONTACT US AT DEVELOPMENT@OGDENMUSEUM.ORG OR 504.539.9616.

PURCHASE TICKETS TO SEE THE SOUTH