With the exquisite John Madejski Fine Rooms of the Royal Academy of Arts as the venue, it was always going to be a spectacular evening. On Saturday 17th January, luminaries from the worlds of art, music, publishing and more descended upon the prestigious institution in the heart of London for ‘Art + Sport’, an intimate gathering celebrating cultural convergence on the eve of the NBA in London.
Hosted by Chair of the Royal Academy Trust, Batia Ofer, along with Robbie & D’Rita Robinson, Jay Brown, Darnell Strom and Omran Al-Kuwari, the evening offered both RA stalwarts and out-of-town newcomers an exclusive private view of Kerry James Marshall: The Histories the day before it closed.
Stepping off Piccadilly into the grandeur of the Annenberg Courtyard, guests swept up the grand staircase to the John Madejski Fine Rooms, where they were welcomed with a canapé drinks reception (Old Fashioneds, Dirty Martinis and Espresso Martinis were served alongside black miso cod and BBQ oyster mushroom maki) before making their way through to the Reynolds Room, formerly a triple-cube ballroom that has a storied history hosting glittering soirées.
Mark Godfrey, curator of Kerry James Marshall: The Histories, said a few words before inviting the guests for a private view of the five-star exhibition in the Main Galleries. Art world power player Batia glided through the room as gaggles of guests admired the works; co-host Darnell caught up with social media sensation Gstaad Guy (fresh from his debut in the Tatler Travel Guide 2026); while actresses Rashida Jones and Tracee Ellis Ross brought a sprinkle of Hollywood star power.
As the night drew to a close and guests filtered out into the cold, January evening, one thing was clear: this great British art institution has never been hotter.