Though it may seem that Armory Week and Frieze Week get all the action, the reality is that there is never a dull moment in the New York art world. From the East Side to the West Side, there’s always something happening at the city’s museums, galleries, and various event spaces. And, as was the case this week, with the opening of the Dallas Art Fair, the wider American art scene also provides plenty of action. Here’s a rundown of this week’s highlights.

Opening Night of the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival kicked off on April 13 with the world premiere of its headlining film, Andrew Rossi’s First Monday in May, a behind-the-scenes look at how New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art put together its hit 2015 Costume Institute exhibition, “China: Through the Looking Glass,” and the trials faced by Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour in planning the accompanying Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala.

Wintour and Met director Thomas Campbell, who attended with his family, were among the boldface names from the art, fashion, and acting worlds who walked the red carpet at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center. Other attendees included designer Zac Posen, actors Jennifer Westfeldt, Jason Biggs, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jane Fonda, artist Clifford Ross, models Lauren Hutton and Karolina Kurkova, and, of course, “Through the Looking Glass” curator Andrew Bolton.

Chloe Grace Moretz at the opening night of the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival World Premiere of The First Monday in May.
Photo: Jimi Celeste, © Patrick McMullan.

Anna Wintour at the opening night of the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival World Premiere of The First Monday in May.
Photo: Jimi Celeste, © Patrick McMullan.

Phoebe Campbell and Thomas P. Campbell with their daughter at the opening night of the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival World Premiere of The First Monday in May.
Photo: Jimi Celeste, © Patrick McMullan.

International Center of Photography Infinity Awards at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers
Actors Leelee Sobieski, Ben Stiller, and Christine Taylor, art dealer Tony Shafrazi, and model Bella Hadid were among the attendees of the annual ICP award ceremony, which this year counted multimedia artist Walid Raad and documentary photographer Zanele Muholi among its honorees.

“We are informed by images, we inspired by images, we are manipulated by images, and we are terrified by images,” executive director Mark Lubell told the crowd, noting that such disparate images as an ISIS beheading and an innocent selfie are both “shaping our world.”

He then invited everyone in attendance to the museum’s new home at 250 Bowery, and announced its long-awaited opening date of June 23, 2016.

The evening ended with a memorable acceptance speech from lifetime achievement award winner David Bailey, who claimed to have accidentally taken a sleeping pill before the event.

“I’m not particularly interested in photography,” Bailey admitted, explaining it was just the best way for him to capture what he sees.

“What can I say? I don’t do anything; I just do what I do,” said the modest fashion photographer, responsible for iconic images of everyone from Mick Jagger and the Beatles to Kate Moss.

Leelee Sobieski at the International Center of Photography’s 2016 Infinity Awards.
Photo: Rob Kim/Getty Images for International Center of Photography.

Honoree, photographer Zanele Muholi, accepts an award from Charlotte Cotton during the International Center of Photography’s 2016 Infinity Awards.
Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images for International Center of Photography.

Pat Schoenfeld, Ben Stiller, and Christine Taylor at the International Center of Photography’s 2016 Infinity Awards.
Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images for International Center of Photography.

Planned Parenthood spring luncheon honoring Marilyn Minter
Following her $2.4-million Sotheby’s auction to support Planned Parenthood, co-organized with Cindy Sherman and Laurie Simmons in 2015, Marilyn Minter received the organization’s Woman of Valor award on April 14. Pop star and sometimes-artist Miley Cyrus was unable to attend, but introduced Minter in a short iPhone video that also unveiled the M&M collaboration, a limited-edition portrait of the singer taken by Miley that will be sold for $5,500 each to benefit Planned Parenthood.

Guests at the Pierre Hotel included actress and director Rose McGowan; Studio Museum in Harlem director Thelma Golden; Jeanne Greenberg-Rohatyn, owner of New York’s Salon 94 gallery; artist Deborah Kass; artnet Auctions‘ Gracie Mansion; and Performa founder Roselee Goldberg, although a rumored appearance by presidential candidate Hillary Clinton ahead of next week’s New York primary never materialized.

Joan Malin and Diane Max present Marilyn Minter with the Planned Parenthood Woman of Valor award.
Photo: BFA.

Rose McGowan at the Planned Parenthood spring luncheon.
Photo: BFA.

Thelma Golden and Lorna Simpson at the Planned Parenthood spring luncheon.
Photo: BFA.

Miley Cyrus introduces Marilyn Minter, winner of the Planned Parenthood Woman of Valor award, and unveils their photographic collaboration in a pre-recorded video.
Photo: BFA.

AIPAD The Photography Show
ICP’s Lubell was also on hand for the opening-night festivities of the Association of International Photography Art Dealers‘ annual Photography Show at the Park Avenue Armory on April 14. Other guests who turned out to enjoy an open bar and passed hors d’oeuvres while checking out the offerings of 86 international dealers included TV presenter Chiu-Ti Jansen, artnet News contributor Anthony Haden-Guest, and artnet Auctions photography specialist Bree Hughes.

Marcello Marvelli and Chiu-Ti Jansen at the Photography Show presented by AIPAD at the Park Avenue Armory.
Photo: Sean Zanni, © Patrick McMullan.

Emerald Gruin and Anthony Haden-Guest at the Photography Show presented by AIPAD at the Park Avenue Armory.
Photo: Sean Zanni, © Patrick McMullan.

Amanda Pulcine, Lauren Lafleur, and Bree Hughes at the Photography Show presented by AIPAD at the Park Avenue Armory.
Photo: Sean Zanni, © Patrick McMullan.

MTV Re:DEFINE
Down in Dallas, ahead of the big fair week, MTV Re:Define, now in its fifth year, raised $2.5 million with an auction of works curated by Neville Wakefield and donated by the likes of Damien Hirst, Rob Pruitt, Marc Quinn, Taryn Simon, Jüergen Teller, and Sterling Ruby.

Legendary auctioneer Simon de Pury, along with MC Oli Barrett, oversaw the proceedings, which benefited the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, an HIV prevention initiative, and the Dallas Contemporary, which hosted the Goss-Michael Foundation–supported event.

The evening honored New York artist Enoc Perez and local philanthropist Tim Headington, but the star of the night was singer Leona Lewis, who performed a short acoustic set featuring her ballad “Bleeding Love” and the iconic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Leona Lewis at MTV Re:DEFINE at the Dallas Contemporary.
Photo: courtesy MTV Re:DEFINE.

Mark Giambrone, Joyce Goss, Kenny Goss, and Peter Doroshenko at MTV Re:DEFINE at the Dallas Contemporary.
Photo: courtesy MTV Re:DEFINE.

Simon de Pury and Enoc Perez at MTV Re:DEFINE at the Dallas Contemporary.
Photo: courtesy MTV Re:DEFINE.

Drawing Center 2016 Spring Benefit Gala
For its annual benefit gala, held this year at Capitale on the Bowery, where a Sol LeWitt wall drawing was created by guests for the occasion, the Drawing Center honored artist Cecily Brown and Ann Philbin, director of the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. Guests included actor, comedian, writer, and noted art collector Steve Martin; New Museum director Lisa Phillips, artists Rashid Johnson and Glenn Ligon, and collector Beth Rudin DeWoody.

Steve Martin and Ann Philbin at the Drawing Center 2016 Spring Benefit Gala.
Photo: Hal Horowitz.

Ann Philbin and Glenn Ligon at the Drawing Center 2016 Spring Benefit Gala.
Photo: Hal Horowitz.

Cecily Brown, Ann Philbin, Sheree Hovsepian, David Salle, Claire Gilman, and Rashid Johnson at the Drawing Center 2016 Spring Benefit Gala.
Photo: Hal Horowitz.

Art in General Visionary Awards Gala
On April 11, Art in General celebrated its 35th anniversary at 26 Bridge, a converted metal factory in DUMBO, Brooklyn. For the occasion, SITU Studio created a special architectural installation inspired by the room’s high ceilings and open rafters.

The evening honored artist Teresita Fernández, gallerist Marianne Boesky, and Ruby Lerner, the founding president and executive director of Creative Capital.

In addition to dinner and a live art auction with Ryan McNamara, Hasan Hajjaj, and other artists creating portraits for the winning bidders, the evening’s activities featured a live performance by artist Donna Huanca and a DJ’d dance party.

Donna Huanca and Pari Ehsan at the Art in General Visionary Awards Gala.
Photo: BFA.

Anne Barlow, Roya Khadjavi Heidari and Teresita Fernandez at the Art in General Visionary Awards Gala.
Photo: BFA.

The architectural installation by SITU Studio at the Art in General Visionary Awards Gala.
Photo: BFA.

“LOOT: MAD About Jewelry” Opening Benefit
André Leon Talley, Lynn Yaeger, and Chuck Close were among those who turned out at the Museum of Arts and Design on April 11 for the annual “LOOT” gala.

Honoring jewelry designer and arts patron Joan Hornig and fashion designer and philanthropist Kay Unger, the event offered attendees a first look at the exhibition and sale’s jewelry, created by 40 international jewelry artists, both emerging and acclaimed. Now in its 16th edition, “LOOT” reflects MAD’s commitment to presenting jewelry as an art form.

Eve Xanthopoulos, Chuck Close, George Hornig, and Joan Hornig at the Museum of Arts and Design’s “LOOT: MAD About Jewelry” opening benefit.
Photo: Presley Ann, © Patrick McMullan.

Kasia McCormick, Stephanie Kamfar, Barbara Tober, Chiu-Ti Jansen, and Barbara Regna at the Museum of Arts and Design’s “LOOT: MAD About Jewelry” opening benefit.
Photo: Presley Ann, © Patrick McMullan.

4heads Benefit and Art Auction 
As 4heads gears up for the Frieze Week debut of its new fair, Portal, the organization, founded by Antony Zito, Jack Robinson, and Nicole Laemmle, held its annual benefit even on April 13 at 104 Delancey Street. 

The night’s highlights included a performance from bluegrass band Jessy Carolina and the Hot Mess and an artist-run photo booth by Ventiko featuring a live peacock named Dexter. Governors Island Art Fair veterans including Nicki Lederer, Dong Hee Lee, Simona Prives, and Will Kurtz furnished works for the silent auction.

Ventiko and Alejandro at the 4Heads Benefit and Art Auction.
Photo: Mike Krasowitz, courtesy of 4heads, Inc.

Kate Brehm and Dexter, the peacock at the 4Heads Benefit and Art Auction.
Photo: Mike Krasowitz, courtesy of 4heads, Inc.