Legacy at the Table: MCA Dinners

Description

This spring, Memphis’ art museum invites you to take your seat at a table set for Memphis.

Presented in conjunction with Memphis College of Art, 1936 to 2020: An Enduring Legacy, Legacy at the Table are seated dinners that is both a fundraiser and celebration. These evenings both honor an institution that shaped generations of artists and strengthened Memphis’ cultural identity, as well as celebrate what will always be at the heart of our city’s art museum: local art and local artists. 

Each dinner is crafted and presented by acclaimed chef and MCA graduate Karen Carrier, whose connection to this story is personal and present. Her work is included in the exhibition, and her menus translate MCA’s legacy into a shared experience of taste, memory, and community.

Legacy at the Table is sponsored by Mahaffey Event & Tent Rentals

Dinner Includes:
 • A seated family style dinner crafted by Karen Carrier
 • Specially paired wine and cocktails
 • After-hours access to Memphis College of Art, 1936 to 2020: An Enduring Legacy

VIP Includes:
 • An exclusive pre-dinner champagne toast
 • A private tour of the exhibition led by an exhibition artist and a curator

Members, log in for your special pricing. 

Each evening highlights a distinct chapter of MCA’s history, with stories and moments that celebrate the building, traditions, professors, and artists who defined the school and continue to shape Memphis today. Seating is intentionally limited to preserve the intimacy of the experience. VIP is limited to 20 guests to allow for conversation and a closer look at the exhibition. 

Dinner Dates and Themes

 May 20, 2026
A New Home, A Growing Influence: The Rust Hall Years
A tribute to the era of permanence and expansion after the move to Rust Hall in 1959, when the school’s presence grew and its influence became central to Memphis’ creative life.

Menu
Family Style Selections
 • Shaved nectarine, manchego, pomegranate & arugula salad, marcona almonds, candied citrus, arbequin
 • Applewood Faroe Island Salmon, creole mustard white wine honey parsley glaze, blueberry apricot orange relish, citrus gremolata, toasted pine nuts
 • Ricotta herb fritters with pea and mint dip and lemon
 • Grilled sweet silver corn elote, cotija aioli and spiced salt
 • Tempura snap beans and ponzu dippin' sauce
 • Supergreen stirfry including sweet sugar snaps, asparagus, edamame, bok choy, scallions, shredded spinach and kale with ginger sambal viniagrette

Dessert
 • Buttery peach cobbler a la mode

June 24, 2026
Creative Momentum: MCA in Its Contemporary Era
A celebration of experimentation, collaboration, and creative risk taking, honoring the artists who carried Memphis forward and the community MCA fostered across generations.

Menu to be announced.

Ticket Pricing

Dinner: $200
Members: $150
VIP: $300
MemberVIP : $250

Join Art Club today for special pricing (available immediately). 

Why Attend

Because local art matters, and Memphis is stronger when we celebrate it together.

Legacy at the Table is for patrons, collectors, alumni, and culturally engaged leaders who believe the artists of this city deserve both recognition and resources. Your ticket directly fuels the continued celebration of local art and artists at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, while giving you a rare, high-touch evening where celebration meets memory.

Seats are limited. Reserve yours now and be part of an extraordinary tribute to what was, and to what we will build next.

Before you go, one more insider move.

If you want to do more than attend, if you want to help shape what comes next, join Art Now, a philanthropic group dedicated to celebrating local art.

Art Now is the supporter community backing emerging artists from Memphis and the Mid South, expanding access to contemporary art, and directly funding acquisitions, exhibitions, and events at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. Art Now brings you closer through curated gatherings and exclusive events alongside fellow creatives, collectors, and curators.

Become a member of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and keep the momentum going with Art Club, your all-access pass to the museum.

Date & Time

May 20 - Jun 24, 2026

Venue Details

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art