In 1985, in recognition of the abundance of visual, literary, and performing artists in the Hamptons, Guild Hall’s Board of Trustees initiated an awards program and honored local luminaries Kurt Vonnegut, Willem de Kooning, and Alan Alda. The following year, the Guild Hall Academy of the Arts was founded by Roy Lichtenstein, Frank Perry, Joseph F. Cullman, III, Peter Jennings, Sydney Gruson, Wilfred Sheed, Elaine Steinbeck, Henry Geldzahler, and Sherrye P. Henry as an association of talented artists and arts professionals who have an affiliation with Guild Hall.
Today, the Academy, presided over by President Susan Stroman, is a truly incredible assemblage of internationally recognized artists who are ardent advocates of Guild Hall’s mission. The Academy’s 250-max members are resources of talent for our programs and for mentoring younger artists in the community, with the intention of extending the legacy of the region as one of the country’s most storied art colonies.
Past Academy Presidents have included Broadway producer Roy Furman, television executive Ed Bleier, and most recently, artist Eric Fischl, who put forth his vision of supporting the next generation of artists by helping to establish the Guild House Artist-in-Residence program for which Academy members serve as nominators and mentors. Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman assumed the role of President in December 2024.
Each spring, the Annual Academy of the Arts Awards Dinner continues the founding tradition of recognizing lifetime achievement by artists, creative professionals, and individuals who passionately support the arts in our community.
Mission + Procedures
To foster and inspire the artistic spirit of the East End and recognize the diversity and ingenuity of human expression, this is the mission of Guild Hall’s Academy of the Arts.
Established in 1985, the Academy is one of the four pillars of Guild Hall of East Hampton in concert with the John Drew Theater, Guild Hall Museum, and Education Department. It is a life-term honor conferred on no more than 250 living members with an association to eastern Long Island.
Each year, all members may vote on the Lifetime Achievement Awards. Up to three Academicians are recognized from the membership—one from each Academy branch: Visual Arts, Communications and Literary Arts, and Performing Arts. Guild Hall may recognize excellence in Leadership and Philanthropy with a fourth. The achievement awards ballots are drafted by the Liaison to the Academy under the direction of the Academy President, Executive Director, Artistic Director and Museum Director. All Academy members, regardless of where they reside in the Academy, are invited to vote across disciplines for the three Achievement awards. While honorees are generally chosen from the body of the Academy, outstanding candidates who are not yet Academicians may win the Lifetime Achievement Award. In such cases, those honorees are invited to sit on the Academy. All Achievement honorees become members of the Academy in perpetuity.
When honorees become members in memoriam or members’ terms expire, their voting seats are available for the Academy to fill with appropriate talent. If vacancies arise, members are added once a year in the winter. A Nominating Committee comprised of no more than ten Academy members produces the ballots. The committee consists of the Academy President, Executive Director, Artistic Director, Museum Director and no more than six at-large members of Academicians. They follow strict selection criteria: art professionals of significant achievement in their fields demonstrably associated with the East End of Long Island. From the committee-assembled ballots, each branch votes to add members of their own discipline. New members are invited to join for the term of their natural lives.
The Guild Hall Academy of the Arts is an honor society representing substantive artistic achievement. In the past, Academicians have chosen to mentor Guild Hall’s artists-in-residence, supply programming in the Theater and Museum, serve as thought-leaders, participate in symposia and multi-disciplinary fora. Most fervently, Guild Hall invites its Academy to use institutional resources as their laboratory thereby aiding Guild Hall to further its mission of letting artists lead the way.
Members
Alan Alda, ‘85
Arlene Alda
John Alexander, ‘12
Laurie Anderson, ‘11
Julie Andrews
Ken Auletta, ‘08
Alice Aycock, ‘18
Jon Robin Baitz, ‘11
Bob Balaban, ‘09
Alec Baldwin, ‘03
Monica Banks
Mary Ellen Bartley
Louis Begley, ‘04
Joy Behar
Lynda Benglis
Robert Benton, ‘95
Barry Bergdoll
Candice Bergen, ‘08
Uri Berliner
Jill Bialosky
Sanford Biggers
Ross Bleckner, ’00
Dianne Blell
Lorraine Bracco
Marshall Brickman, ‘10
Christie Brinkley
Matthew Broderick, ‘14
Mel Brooks, ‘07
Tory Burch
Carter Burwell, ’18
Kate Capshaw
Ina Caro
Robert Caro, ‘92
Nanette Carter
Fran Castan
Kim Cattrall
Dick Cavett, ‘10
Chevy Chase
Marty Cohen, ’22
Michele Cohen, ’22
Bob Colacello, ‘18
Blanche Wiesen Cook
Lucy Cookson
Joan Ganz Cooney, ‘01
Renee Cox
Melanie Crader, Ex Officio
Cynthia Daniels
Blythe Danner, ‘13
Paul Davis, ‘90
Christophe de Menil
Philippe de Montebello, ‘13
Ron Delsener
Jeremy Dennis
B. Diamonstein-Spielvogel
Nicolette Donen
Robert Downey Jr.
Susan Downey
Cornelius Eady
Melissa Errico
Florence Fabricant
Jules Feiffer, ‘14
Bran Ferren
Eric Fischl, ‘94, President Emeritus
Cornelia Foss
Barry Friedberg, ‘15
Roy Furman, ‘06, President Emeritus
Steven Gaines
Ina Garten
Richard Gere
Ralph Gibson, ‘14
Arnold Glimcher
RoseLee Goldberg
Paul Goldberger, ‘06
April Gornik, ‘02
Andrea Grover, Ex Officio
Joan Hamburg
Stephen Hamilton
Ted Hartley, ‘19
Mary Heilmann, ‘15
A.M. Homes, ‘15
Edmund Hollander
Sunny Hostin
Bryan Hunt
John Irving, ‘90
Walter Isaacson, ‘12
Virginia Jaramillo
Valerie Jaudon
Billy Joel, ‘97
David Joel
Betsey Johnson
Rashid Johnson
Donna Karan
LaVon Kellner, ’23
Mel Kendrick
Patti Askwith Kenner, ‘18
Calvin Klein
Reed Krakoff
Jill Krementz
Steve Kroft
Susan Lacy
Laurie Lambrecht
Nathan Lane, ‘12
Erik Larson
Jo Carole Lauder, ‘13
Ronald Lauder, ‘13
Matt Lauer
Ralph Lauren
Ricky Lauren
Paul Libin
Judy Licht-Della Femina
Annie Leibovitz
Robert Longo
Susan Lucci
Harry Macklowe ‘14
Linda Macklowe ‘14
Anthony Madonna, Ex Officio
Arielle Tepper Madover
Fern Mallis
Joe Mantello
Peter Marino, ’23
Howard Marks, ’24
Nancy Marks, ’24
Kati Marton
Patrick McEnroe
Jay McInerney
Richard Meier, ‘91
Susan Meiselas
Lorne Michaels
Paton Miller
Cheryl Minikes, ‘16
Michael Minikes, ‘16
Isaac Mizrahi
Julianne Moore
Charlotte Moss, ‘15
Robert Nederlander
Arcmanoro Niles
Cynthia Nixon
Marsha Norman, ‘09
Hannah Pakula
Maulik Pancholy
Sarah Jessica Parker, ‘15
Alan Patricof, ‘09
Itzhak Perlman, ‘88
Lisa Perry
Holly Peterson
Elizabeth Peyton, ‘10
Lisa Phillips
Nicholas Pileggi
Marla Prather
Richard Prince, ‘09
Questlove
Sally Quinn
Dan Rattiner
Helen Rattray
Ron Rifkin
Eric Ripert
Dan Rizzie
Dorothea Rockburne, ‘19
Elizabeth Barlow Rogers
Ugo Rondinone
Marshall Rose, ‘04
Jane Rosenthal
Clifford Ross
Toni Ross
Daryl Roth, ’24
Jordan Roth
Tom Roush, ’23
Mercedes Ruehl, ‘06
Salman Rushdie, ‘19
Carl Safina
David Salle, ‘07
Marcus Samuelsson
Sheri Sandler, ‘17
Val Schaffner
Henry Schleiff
Julian Schnabel, ‘98
Grace Schulman
Philip Schultz, ‘16
Stephen A. Schwarzman, ’05
Jerry Seinfeld
Julie Sheehan
Cindy Sherman, ‘04
Lynn Sherr
Paul Simon, ’89
Taryn Simon
Lee Skolnick
Arlene Slavin
G.E. Smith
Iris Smyles
Judith Sneddon
Dava Sobel
Barry Sonnenfeld, ‘19
Steven Spielberg, ‘98
Robert A.M. Stern, ‘99
Martha Stewart
Susan Stroman, ‘16, President
Michelle Stuart
Billy Sullivan
Donald Sultan
Elie Tahari
Hank Willis Thomas
Frederic Tuten
Judith Hope Twomey
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Hans Van de Bovenkamp
Edwina von Gal, ‘16
Rufus Wainwright
Amei Wallach
Janet Wallach
Emma Walton
Vera Wang
Bruce Weber, ‘11
Carrie Mae Weems
Andrina Wekontash Smith
Ali Wentworth
Robert Wilson, ‘02
Frank Wimberley
Lucy Winton
Bruce Wolosoff
Nina Yankowitz
Harris Yulin, ‘17
Donald Zucker, ‘08
Mortimer B. Zuckerman, ‘03
IN MEMORIAM
Edward Albee, ‘91
Lauren Bacall, ‘90
Jennifer Bartlett, ‘08
Edward Bleier, President Emeritus
Ben Bradlee, ‘03
John Chamberlain, ‘06
Chuck Close, ‘95
Cy Coleman, ‘00
Betty Comden, ‘92
Lewis B. Cullman, ‘10
Joseph F. Cullman, III, ‘99
Willem de Kooning, ’85
E.L. Doctorow, ‘86
Jason Epstein, ‘00
Audrey Flack, ‘17
Lukas Foss, ‘93
Jane Freilicher, ‘96
Betty Friedan, ‘98
William Gaddis, ’94
Barbara Goldsmith, ‘99
Adolph Green, ’92
Charles Gwathmey, ‘89
Sheldon Harnick, ‘04
Joseph Heller, ’87
Don Hewitt, ‘02
Robert Hughes, ‘95
Anne Jackson, ‘92
Peter Jennings, ‘98
William King, ‘97
Jack Lenor Larsen, ‘97
Roy Lichtenstein, ’87
Sidney Lumet, ‘86
Peter Matthiessen, ‘89
Terrence McNally, ‘93
Dina Merrill, ‘11
Alan J. Pakula, ’96
Susan Patricof, ‘09
Frank Perry, ’91
Joe Pintauro, ‘07
George Plimpton, ’01
Larry Rivers, ’88
Jerome Robbins, ’87
Gene Saks, ‘94
Budd Schulberg, ‘02
Gail Sheehy, ‘17
Robert F. X. Sillerman, ‘07
Saul Steinberg, ’86
Peter Stone, ’96
Melville Straus, ‘12
Elaine Stritch, ‘01
Gwen Verdon, ’99
Esteban Vicente, ’93
Kurt Vonnegut, ‘85
Eli Wallach, ’92
Barbara Walters, ‘13
Tony Walton, ‘92
Wendy Wasserstein, ‘97
Jane Wilson, ‘01
Lanford Wilson, ‘00
Tom Wolfe, ’88
Jack Youngerman, ‘03
Lifetime Achievement Honorees denoted by year
Lifetime Achievement Honorees
| Year | Visual Arts | Performing Arts | Literary Arts | Special Award |
| 2024 | Daryl Roth | Nancy & Howard Marks | ||
| 2023 | Peter Marino | Tom Roush & LaVon Kellner | ||
| 2022 | Marty & Michele Cohen | |||
| 2019 | Dorothea Rockburne | Barry Sonnenfeld | Salman Rushdie | Ted Hartley |
| 2018 | Alice Aycock | Carter Burwell | Bob Colacello | Patti Askwith Kenner |
| 2017 | Audrey Flack | Harris Yulin | Gail Sheehy* | Sheri Sandler |
| 2016 | Edwina von Gal | Susan Stroman | Philip Schultz | Cheryl & Michael Minikes |
| 2015 | Mary Heilmann | Sarah Jessica Parker | A.M. Homes | Charlotte Moss & Barry S. Friedberg |
| 2014 | Ralph Gibson | Matthew Broderick | Jules Feiffer | Linda & Harry Macklowe |
| 2013 | Philippe de Montebello | Blythe Danner | Barbara Walters* | Jo Carole & Ronald S. Lauder |
| 2012 | John Alexander | Nathan Lane | Walter Isaacson | Mickey Straus* |
| 2011 | Bruce Weber | Laurie Anderson | Jon Robin Baitz | Dina Merrill* |
| 2010 | Elizabeth Peyton | Dick Cavett | Marshall Brickman | Lewis B. Cullman* |
| 2009 | Richard Prince | Bob Balaban | Marsha Norman | Susan* & Alan Patricof |
| 2008 | Jennifer Bartlett* | Candice Bergen | Ken Auletta | Donald Zucker |
| 2007 | David Salle | Mel Brooks | Joe Pintauro* | Robert F. X. Sillerman* |
| 2006 | John Chamberlain* | Mercedes Ruehl | Paul Goldberger | Roy Furman |
| 2005 | Stephen A. Schwarzman | |||
| 2004 | Cindy Sherman | Sheldon Harnick* | Louis Begley | Marshall Rose |
| 2003 | Jack Youngerman* | Alec Baldwin | Ben Bradlee* | Mortimer B. Zuckerman |
| 2002 | April Gornik | Robert Wilson | Budd Schulberg* | Don Hewitt* |
| 2001 | Jane Wilson* | Elaine Stritch* | George Plimpton* | Joan Ganz Cooney |
| 2000 | Ross Bleckner | Cy Coleman* | Lanford Wilson* | Jason Epstein* |
| 1999 | Robert A.M. Stern | Gwen Verdon* | Barbara Goldsmith* | Joseph F. Cullman 3rd* |
| 1998 | Julian Schnabel | Steven Spielberg | Betty Friedan* | Peter Jennings* |
| 1997 | William King* | Billy Joel | Wendy Wasserstein* | Jack Lenor Larsen* |
| 1996 | Jane Freilicher* | Alan J. Pakula* | Peter Stone* | |
| 1995 | Chuck Close* | Robert Benton | Robert Hughes* | |
| 1994 | Eric Fischl | Gene Saks* | William Gaddis* | |
| 1993 | Esteban Vicente* | Lukas Foss* | Terrence McNally* | |
| 1992 | Tony Walton | Betty Comden* | Robert Caro | |
| Adolph Green* | ||||
| Anne Jackson* | ||||
| Eli Wallach* | ||||
| 1991 | Richard Meier | Frank Perry* | Edward Albee* | |
| 1990 | Paul Davis | Lauren Bacall* | John Irving | |
| 1989 | Charles Gwathmey* | Paul Simon | Peter Matthiessen* | |
| 1988 | Larry Rivers* | Itzhak Perlman | Tom Wolfe* | |
| 1987 | Roy Lichtenstein* | Jerome Robbins* | Joseph Heller* | |
| 1986 | Saul Steinberg* | Sidney Lumet* | E.L. Doctorow* | |
| 1985 | Willem de Kooning* | Alan Alda | Kurt Vonnegut* |
* In Memoriam