CULTURED Magazine, the leading voice at the intersection of art, design, and culture, hosted its inaugural CultForum event at the historic Cherry Lane Theatre in New York City’s West Village. The event brought together some of today’s most compelling voices across art, film, theater, and culture for an afternoon of intimate, thought-provoking conversations exploring creativity, artistic expression, identity, and the evolving cultural landscape.

Speakers included Sarah Harrelson, Sofia Coppola, Sarah Paulson, Paul W. Downs, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Jeffrey Deitch, Jordan Tannahill, Karon Davis, Rachel Feinstein, Tamara Jenkins, and Josh Silver.

Notable attendees included Sheree Hovsepian, Paul Tazewell, Olympia Gayot, Coco Mellors, Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, Delphine Krakoff, Reed Krakoff, Marc Payot, Michi Jigarjian, and Adam Eli.

Presented as an extension of CULTURED’s celebrated Artist on Artist series, the inaugural CultForum brought the publication’s signature editorial conversations to life through five dynamic discussions divided into two acts spanning artistic disciplines. The event explored themes ranging from the creative process and navigating criticism to the complexities of identity, cultural storytelling, and dismantling longstanding myths surrounding class and race.  

Act I of the two-part programming opened the day with "Playing with Fire", an in-depth conversation between actor Sarah Paulson and playwright and novelist Jordan Tannill about the complex relationship between artists and their critics. As Paulson reflected on the success of her first Emmy win and the criticism that followed, Tannahill considered the responsibility of creating work that public generates dialogue. Paulson and Tannahill discuss how their works have pushed the boundaries of how stories can be told, the societal expectations that have come as a result of their successes, and being "hyper-vigilant" and "hyper-critical." This was followed by "Making Art History" with gallerist Jeffrey Deitch and artist Karon Davis. They gave the audience a closer look at the narratives that have shaped Davis's practice, along with a glimpse into Davis's studio practice, as she shared imagery of her works and spoke about her relationship to her studio. 

Pulitzer Prize-winning writers Hernan Diaz and Brenden Jacobs-Jenkins started  Act II with "American Mythmaking". The writers discussed their relationship with academia and the fictions around American identity. They explored the topic of individualism and why Americans gravitate towards stories focused on family drama. This was followed by "Soaring High and Low" with Josh Silver, writer of Fruit Fly, and actor and Hacks co-creator, Paul W. Downs, speaking about comedy and literature and the ongoing pressure to keep audiences and readers entertained. Silver and Downs also spoke about how trauma relates to their craft, how comedy has been undervalued in modern-day society, what they are most drawn to for writing inspiration, and the character-defining moments that impact their writing. The final discussion focused on "The Female Gaze" with friends and industry titans Sofia Coppola, Tamara Jenkins, and Rachel Feinstein speaking about how they juggle the ongoing demands of their respective industries and motherhood. They reflected on the struggles to find funding and the need to push back on executives for the vision that they believe in, as well as the importance of friendships between artists who can uplift and challenge each other.

Following programming, attendees gathered at Wild Cherry for a closing champagne reception toasting with Dom Pérignon and continuing the day’s deeply engaging conversations. The inaugural CultForum event marked an exciting milestone for CULTURED, further expanding the publication’s commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue and creating opportunities for connection among influential voices across creative industries. By bringing its editorial vision beyond the page and into a live setting, CULTURED reinforced its position as a platform for boundary-pushing ideas, creative exchange, and conversations shaping the future of art, culture, and entertainment.

Image credit: Yvonne Tnt/BFA