by guest contributor Tamara Buchwald
Photo credit: Courtesy of TCC
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Washington, D.C.s White House Correspondents’ Week is famously a high-wattage collision of journalism, politics, and Hollywood — and few events capture its spirit quite like The Creative Coalition’s annual dinner. This year’s gathering once again blended glamour, advocacy, and the arts, creating a memorable night that emphasized not just star power but also a powerful message. The Creative Coalition’s message is clear – the arts are not just a luxury, but a fundamental aspect of a thriving society, deserving of public support and protection. The event took place after a day on Capitol Hill advocating for funding for the National Endowment of the Arts.(NEA).
Amy Brenneman, Gina Belafonte, Rebecca Wisocky, Marg Helgenberger. Photo by Amy
The Creative Coalition’s #RightToBearArts Dinner was held at the Madison Hotel in the heart of Washington. The evening began as every Hollywood/Washington event should – with a red carpet. The gala drew an impressive guest list of actors such as Jason Issacs (White Lotus), Amy Shiels (Twin Peaks, Veronica Guerin), Alan Ruck (Succession), Marg Helgenberger (Emmy Winner, CSI), Michael Chiklis (Emmy Ian Armitage (Young Sheldon), Mehcad Brooks (Law & Order) Gina Belafonte (The Commish), Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-girlfriend), Pauline Chalamet (The Sex Lives of College Girls), Alex Bornstein (Emmy Winner, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Diedrich Bader(Running Point), Courtney Easton (Yellowjackets), Sonequa Martin-Green (Star Trek: Discovery), Tig Notaro (The Morning Show), Lorraine Toussaint (The Equalizer) and Rebecca Wisocky (Ghosts). These actors are known for their bipartisan commitment to elevating the arts as a national priority. The Creative Coalition uses this yearly dinner to remind Washington that storytelling, performance, and creativity are not just entertainment — they are essential to the American experience.
Marg Helgenberger with Alan Ruck (Succession)
The dinner began with remarks from actor Tim Daly, the longtime president of the Creative Coalition and Robin Bronk, the CEO of The Creative Coalition. On behalf of the Creative Coalition, Daly told the crowd “We believe every human especially every child in the U.S. should be exposed to and participate in the arts because we know beyond a shadow of a doubt children who are immersed in the arts are more imaginative, creative, empathetic and kinder and are more successful human beings.” They could not emphasize enough the importance of continued government funding for arts education and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Robin Bronk and Tim Daly
The evening continued with a performance by the notable attendees reciting quotes from artists, scientists, musicians and politicians such as Vincent Van Gogh “The greatest art is the simplifier” to Albert Einstein “ Art is standing with one hand extended into the universe and one hand extended into the world and letting ourselves be a conduit for passing energy.” Other quotes include President Ronald Reagan’s “The arts and humanities teach us who we are and what we can be. They lie at the very core of the culture of which we’re a part.” and Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Art is for art’s sake is a philosophy of the well-fed.” The guest list reflected the evening’s vibe: a mix of Hollywood glamour and policy gravitas, united by a shared belief in the transformative power of the arts.
After dinner was served, the guests were treated to music by the talented Gina Belafonte singing and the equally musically gifted Micheal Chiklis on drums. The room erupted into a joyful group singalong. The energy was infectious and served as a reminder how important all the arts are to us as a community.
Jason Issacs
The dinner served as an opportunity for the Creative Coalition to remind us all of the year- round work, which includes advocating on Capitol Hill, supporting arts programs in underserved communities, and providing grants to emerging artists to keep arts as an essential part of our society. While many of the week’s parties lean heavily into celebrity and celebration, The Creative Coalition’s dinner maintains a special gravitas. Speakers throughout the night reminded the audience that while the arts bring joy, they also foster empathy, bridge divides, and drive social change. In a year when arts funding continues to face political headwinds, the urgency of the evening’s message resonated more than ever.
The night concluded with a call to action: a reminder that in a world increasingly driven by data and division, the arts remain one of our most powerful tools for unity and understanding. In a town known for its political divides, the Creative Coalition offered a rare and hopeful common ground — and a little sparkle, too.
