Celebrating our 40th in Palm Springs, a major center of Queer culture

Home of Mark Pellegrino & Stuart Kent, 25th September 2024, Palm Springs, California

Mark Pellegrino; S.R. Sharp, CXO; Jesse Rosenberg, Director; CEO; Durk Dehner, President & Cofounder

Thank you all for joining us in celebrating the Tom of Finland Foundation’s 40th year of protecting, preserving, promoting and making Queer art visible, rejoicing in the freedom of human expression and welcoming and including all who value and share our vision that individual creativity is vital to a vibrant and free society.

Special special thanks to Mark and Stuart (who flew to Toronto to be with his ailing father) who unsolicitedly offered to host this fundraising party in their spectacular home, without their generosity it would not be as great as it was! As a gesture of our appreciation, we presented this limited edition Tom of Finland print to them as a small gesture of our appreciation for these two amazing art collectors, culture advocates and generous philanthropists.

Jon Wright, Secretary; Dan Henricksen, Chairperson

Heartfelt thanks to KGAY; Palm Springs Pride; The Palm Springs Cultural Center; Rob Cole, owner of Tool Shed; Tom Burns, owner/gallerist of ARTWORKS Gallery; Club 541; Maximus, el Leon Cigars; Kino Lorber, DJ Donovan Jones; Peachy Kings; Tom of Finland Organic Vodka; ToFF artist-in-residence, Fausto; all the volunteers; and, of course, the amazing Ken Avedisian.

Jesse Rosenberg, Durk Dehner, Tom Bianchi

Much appreciation to Tom Bianchi, photographic celebrator of the male experience and his husband and business partner Ben Smales. 

Our sincerest gratitude to our
supporters, donors and members
who make TOM’s Foundation’s cultural programming possible.

Tom of Finland Foundation has had a long history of participation in Palm Springs Pride festivities. This evening was the kickoff for our upcoming cultural events that Foundation is contributing for this year’s celebrations. Palm Springs has become a major center of Queer culture and community internationally, and wherever LGBTQ individual gather, Tom of Finland Foundation will be there because Tom’s legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of those individuals.

PHOTOS BY
FAUSTO

Published: 26th September 2024

Categorised in: Friends of Tom