Tickets are available through Sunday, Nov. 16.
The Gala is part of a series of celebratory events tied into the 20th anniversary of the Westcott House’s restoration and opening to the public.
Marta Wojcik, executive director and curator of the Westcott House, said this one has been a long time coming, making it more special.
“Our gala happens only every five years, and we were robbed of this opportunity in 2020 due to pandemic, which makes this year’s occasion all the more special,” she said.
‘He designed a way of living’
Galt is passionate about honoring her great-grandfather’s vision and protecting his work as a vital part of America’s cultural heritage, Wojcik added.
“I view Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy as an invitation to live with courage and imagination,” Galt said in a news release. “He showed us that creativity is not confined to art and architecture, but expressed in every choice we make. His Westcott House masterpiece calls each of us to think independently, act intentionally and shape our world with the same fearless vision that he harnessed throughout his work.”
Credit: Kristi Kienholz
Credit: Kristi Kienholz
Galt followed his footsteps in her own way, working as an interior design business strategist and marketing consultant. She also does a podcast and her business is meant to empower designers to build profitable, fulfilling firms with clarity and confidence and considers all the possibilities within the world of design through the prism of Wright’s approach.
“Frank Lloyd Wright designed more than buildings, he designed a way of living. Each of his creations invites us to see beauty in structure, purpose in geometry and courage in individuality. Expanding his legacy means empowering every person to live as he designed: authentically, artfully and without compromise,” said Galt.
Wright’s enduring influence
The Gala will reflect on 20 years of the Westcott House as a community resource and source of inspiration. As a cultural tourism site, it has served as an economic driver for the Springfield region and brought together people of diverse backgrounds to advance the role that art, architecture and design play in people’s lives, according to Wojcik.
The evening will begin with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 6 p.m. followed by dinner and the program at 7 p.m. The gala also will include an exhibit of the recent work by architecture students at Miami University and a special presentation by Gary Geis Dance Company.
Wojcik said the artists, designers and creatives have been the heartbeat of the organization’s mission since 2005 and the spirit in which Galt sees the role of Wright’s legacy with a modern view.
“Wright was the original lifestyle influencer,” Galt said. “Long before social media, he was shaping how we think, create and live. To honor his legacy by supporting the Westcott House is to go beyond preservation and to activate his principles within ourselves: to think freely, build fearlessly and live masterfully.”
Tickets cost $185 a person or $1,500 for a reserved VIP table of up to eight guests. Festive attire is requested.
Other upcoming events celebrating the 20th anniversary include a PechaKucha night on Dec. 3, the Westcott Holiday Party on Dec. 4 and a virtual party live stream on Dec. 9.
To purchase tickets for the gala, for more information on upcoming events or to tour the Westcott House, go to westcotthouse.org.
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