UCROSS RAISES MORE THAN $1.4 MILLION IN SUPPORT OF ARTISTS AT HOUSTON GALA

Ucross celebrated its national artist residency program at POST Houston on November 6 with a gala and benefit that raised more than $1.4 million for the nonprofit organization. The evening included a performance choreographed by Houston Ballet’s Jack Wolff and an awards ceremony honoring Houston’s Corbin J. Robertson, Jr., Managing Partner of Quintana Capital Group and Chairman and CEO of the general partner of Natural Resource Partners LP. 
 
The link between arts and energy stemmed from Raymond Plank, the co-founder and longtime CEO of Apache Corporation, one of the nation’s largest independent oil and gas companies. A prominent business leader, Plank was also a philanthropist and an appreciator of the arts. He founded Ucross on a historic 20,000-acre ranch in northern Wyoming in 1981 and welcomed the first artists-in-residence in 1983.
 
Over the next four decades, Ucross developed into one of the most respected artist communities in the nation and has supported more than 3,000 artists, including winners of Pulitzer Prizes, Tony Awards, National Book Awards, and Academy Awards, among many others.
 
“Ucross is committed to honoring the creative process of working artists,” said Ucross President and Executive Director Caitlin Addlesperger during the gala. She invited the 150-plus guests to imagine a fellow’s experience. “Now, maybe for the first time ever, your time is your own to dedicate to your work — your passion — exactly as you wish. Uninterrupted time, free from distractions, free from obligations, in the most beautiful landscape.
 
“This is why we’re here, and this is what we must sustain for future generations of artists and those who believe in the power of art and the creative spirit.”
 
Infused with the arts, the Ucross Gala & Benefit featured former artists-in-residence spanning disciplines. Wolff’s choreographic pieces featured performances by his fellow Ucross alumni and Houston Ballet dancers Eric Best and Aoi Fujiwara. The cocktail hour presented a live oil painting by Don Stinson of Austin and a silent auction exhibition featuring artworks by Texan Ucross alumni Elizabeth Hohimer, Polly Lanning Sparrow, and Lynda Kaffie Young, as well as another piece by Stinson.
 
Ucross’s artist partners in Houston were represented at the event, as well, including the Houston Ballet, Alley Theatre, University of Houston's Creative Writing Program, and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.
 
The Raymond Plank Award for Visionary Leadership was created after Plank passed away on November 8, 2018, to honor and celebrate business leaders, philanthropists and innovators who have forged their own path and had an enduring impact on business, the arts, or land stewardship. The first recipient was Rex Tillerson, the former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, at a Houston benefit in 2019. Additional honorees have included Jim Nelson in 2021, Scott D. Sheffield in 2023, and U.S. Senator Alan K. and Ann Simpson in 2024.
 
“Corby’s career is a testament to bold leadership, strategic vision, and a deep understanding of the natural resources that power our economy,” said Steve Farris of Houston, co-founder and principal of Forager Energy, a U.S. minerals and royalty company; former Chairman and CEO of Apache Corporation; and former Ucross Trustee. “Corby and his wife, Barbara, have also been tremendously involved in many philanthropic efforts and programs in Texas and beyond in the areas of education, the arts, sports and with underprivileged children. It is truly an honor to be able to call Corby a friend.”
 
The Ucross Gala and Benefit was co-chaired by Ucross Chair Jesse and Cathy Marion and Steve and Vicki Farris, with fellow committee members Ucross Trustee Roger and Connie Plank and Ucross Trustee Christian Nelson and Dan Schroeder. Outgoing Chair Jim Nelson and Judy Rossiter were also in attendance, along with other members of the Ucross Foundation Board, as they celebrated Plank’s legacy, the nonprofit’s mission, and Robertson’s award.
 
You can see the photos from the Ucross Gala & Benefit here.