S otheby’s and the Yale School of Art are pleased to present a benefit auction during The New York Sales, in support of a major long-term initiative to expand access to arts education. Bringing together works donated by artists, alumni, collectors, and galleries, the sale reflects a shared commitment to bolstering the next generation of artists through meaningful, lasting financial support.

This collaboration marks a rare partnership between a leading university and an international auction house, grounded in a common goal: to strengthen access to artistic training at one of the world’s most influential art schools. Proceeds from the sale will be directed to the Yale School of Art Dean’s Scholarship Fund, contributing to an ongoing effort to build endowed resources that support students over time.

Since 2021, the Yale School of Art has significantly expanded its commitment to financial aid access for students, increasing scholarship funding and broadening access to its Master of Fine Arts program. The School is now working toward a further expansion of endowed scholarships, with the aim of substantially supporting all students admitted to its MFA program following the need-blind admissions process. The benefit auction at Sotheby’s forms part of this wider initiative, helping to advance a model of sustained investment in arts education and to minimize the burden of debt that may prevent MFA graduates from pursuing careers in art.

Funds raised through the sale will be placed within Yale’s endowment, where they will be invested to provide consistent, long-term support exclusively for MFA student scholarships. Structured to balance existing needs with future growth, this approach ensures that the auction’s impact will extend well beyond the moment of the sale, to support successive generations of artists over time.

Works included in the auction have been contributed by members of the global art community, including prominent Yale alumni and leading contemporary artists whose practices reflect the School of Art’s enduring influence. The advisory committee includes Yvonne Force and Leo Villareal, Yana Peel, Lucas Zwirner, Komal Shah, Mickalene Thomas, among others, and additional donors include Ilana Savdie, William Cordova, Wardell Milan, and Iwan and Manuela Wirth. Their participation underscores a shared belief in the importance of access to arts education, the necessity of creating conditions for artists to commit themselves to their work post-graduation, and the ongoing resonance of contemporary artistic practice. The works will be sold in the Contemporary Day Auction taking place on May 15th, 2026.