If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.
Last year, the Odessa Arts Black and White Ball featured a fashion show for the first time.
This year, due to popular demand, the fashion show will be returning as Odessa Arts prepares for this year’s edition of the Black and White Ball.
The event is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. April 1 at the Odessa Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.
Tickets can be bought at tinyurl.com/9shxbfn2.
“We’re so excited to be doing another fashion show,” Odessa Arts Executive Director Randy Ham said. “It went over so well last year and everyone was so excited about what we could do this year.”
This year’s designer is Elizabeth Leese who has a hometown connection to Odessa.
“It makes it just a little bit more special to have someone from our area giving back,” Leese said. “On top of that, we have a great lineup of honorees that have done some exemplary, philanthropic work for the arts in the Permian Basin.”
The event will also honor the Friends of the Arts as well as a new award that will be given out this year.
This year’s Friend of the Arts Honorees are Peggy Dean, Marita Hendrick and Dick Gillham.
Gillham will also be receiving the inaugural Dick Gillham Legacy Award, named after him.
Dean is being honored for her work in helping bring the Percent for the Arts ordinance that was passed a few years ago when she was on City Council.
“We’ve been able to complete some pretty significant art projects on city property and most of that is because of the percent for art ordinance that was passed in February 2020 and that was back when Peggy Dean was on the City Council so she really helped us get that percent for art passed,” Ham said. “We thought that it was a no-brainer to honor her since she saw the value of having art throughout the city.”
Hendrick is being recognized for her help in raising money for the Odessa Spire which has come to be a symbol for Odessa Arts.
“Marita Hendrick was one of the first people to contact me when we started doing the Odessa Spire and she helped us raise the money for that and helped donate for that piece of art,” Ham said.
It was back in 2019 when the spire was unveiled as a new piece of public art, incorporating the former Rock Hill Springs shopping center sign after being abandoned for 30 years.
“Even now, I still look at the spire and it’s one of the things that I’m proud of what this organization did,” Ham said.
For years, Gillham has been a staple of the arts community and his work has not gone unnoticed.
“We would not have any kind of art program at all without Dick Gillham,” Ham said. “He was out here, putting art across the community with no help from anyone. It was just the Dick Gillham show for the longest time and now look where we are. None of that would be possible if he didn’t start doing it on his own. We thought it was not only important to recognize him but to even name an award after him. So he is the winner of the first Dick Gillham Legacy Award and I think that’s fantastic.”
The event will include cocktails while dinner is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Afterwards, the Friend of the Arts Awards will be announced which will be followed by the Runway Fashion Show.
An after party will take place from around 9-11 p.m.
“It’s always a fun party,” Ham said. “I really appreciate the continued support of Sewell BMW of the Permian Basin. They have always been a phenomenal partner and I’m thankful that we can continue to grow that partnership year after year. We really enjoy the support of the Marriott hotel, Black Tulip and others. It may be Odessa Arts Black and White Ball but there are a lot of people involved in putting it together and it’s not just an effort of this organization. It truly is a community effort and I love that we get to come out and support these wonderful people who have done so much for our community.”
If you go
- What: Odessa Arts Black and White Ball.
- When: 6:30 p.m. April 1.
- Where: Odessa Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.
- Where to purchase tickets: tinyurl.com/9shxbfn2
