Portrait of a Nation Gala 2025

Event Details

Date: November 15, 2025

Location: Union Station, Washington D.C.

About the Event

The National Portrait Gallery’s Portrait of a Nation event is a powerful celebration of American achievement, artistry, and influence. Hosted biennially, it brings together cultural icons, innovators, and leaders whose portraits are added to the Gallery’s collection, honoring their impact on the nation’s narrative. The evening blends art, storytelling, and community, offering guests an intimate look at newly commissioned works and the creators behind them. More than a gala, it’s a moment that elevates the role of portraiture in capturing history as it unfolds. Portrait of a Nation serves as both recognition and reflection—spotlighting individuals shaping America’s present and future.

This year’s gala honored JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, ethologist, inventor, and animal science professor Temple Grandin, Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, and filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Presenters included Jeff Bezos, Claire Danes, Emily Gerson Saines, Sandra Cisneros, and Amy Sherald.

Work with us

Smithsonian and National Portrait Gallery Leadership

Elliot Gruber: Acting Director, National Portrait Gallery
Lonnie G. Bunch III: Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Michael S. Hollander: National Portrait Gallery Coard Chair
Julissa Marenco: Assistant Secretary for Communications and External Affairs and Chief Marketing Officer
Dr. Monique M. Chism: Under Secretary of Education
Ellen Stofan: Under Secretary for Science and Research

Host Committee

Bloomberg Philanthropies
General Catalyst and Teresa Carlson
Michael Hollander
The Embassy of the State of Qatar in the United States
Nicole Washington

Lead Sponsors

General Dynamics
David M. Rubenstein

Scope of Services

Pre-Event Services

Project Management

Project management services, including the use of web-based project management software throughout the event production process. Within the program, there will be a comprehensive timeline of deliverables to ensure that deliverables are carried out within the expected timeframe.
Project management responsibilities include scheduling and managing bi-weekly meetings with your internal team and reporting on all project updates.
Additional project management support, including but not limited to: stakeholder updates and quality control reports, as well as hiring of additional vendors and contractors not currently included in this proposal.

Event Discovery & Development

Work alongside the NPG team to provide insight, feedback, and management regarding the design, planning, and execution of the overall programmatic vision for all production elements.
Work with the NPG team to identify event timelines, themes, guest experience, event and set design, additional concepts, tone, and flow.
Develop speaker onboarding materials and an on-the-ground speaker experience plan.
Provide full content development consulting and graphic design throughout the project, inclusive of: story arc creation, programmatic development, and script development consulting and script writing.

Venue & Logistics Management

Full onsite event management and on-the-ground support, including lead roles surrounding logistics, production, programming, attendee experience, speaker experience, volunteer management, and more.
Create and manage updates to the event timeline to ensure that the event flow is logical and runs smoothly.
Coordinate production schedules and overall floor plans of all event spaces.
Ensure all event spaces and floor plans abide by applicable laws and regulations, including local fire Code(s).

Vendor Management

Provide vendor acquisition services, including RFP processes, contract drafting and review, etc.
Negotiate final contracts with selected venues and vendors.
Work alongside production partners and NPG to deliver on event vision. This can entail: proposing and executing on a cohesive event design able to leverage vendor relationships to maximize impact, as well as working with vendors, including lighting, staging, scenery, entertainment, graphic design, security, registration, and other vendors to further refine event look, feel, and attendee experience.

Hospitality, Food, & Beverage Management

Full Catering Management, including ancillary attendee needs, green room setups, media and press room setup, meeting spaces/bilateral room needs (as needed), etc. for 750 guests and staff.
Help select rental items, including linens, table settings, chairs, etc.
Assist in the selection of menu items, including attending tasting(s) and making recommendations based on industry experience.
Coordinate food, beverage, and alcohol vendors while ensuring that the event complies with all applicable laws and regulations.

Talent Management Services

Source, propose, contract, and manage appropriate entertainment options that meet event requirements.
Send instruction packets/briefings to program participants/talent, confirming all event details if desired or necessary.
Liaise with talent/VIP staff and security to ensure all talent/VIP needs are met before and throughout the completion event.

Budget Management

Create, manage, and track event budgets with input and oversight from NPG.
Track payment deadlines and facilitate all vendor invoicing and payment.
Continually update budget to reflect approved costs and expenses.

Transportation Management

Full transportation management to ensure hassle-free transportation for attendees, speakers, and staff. This includes managing everything from airport transfers to shuttle services with precision and reliability.
Comprehensive valet management services to ensure attendees’ vehicles are parked and returned to their owners with efficiency and care.

Diplomatic Protocol Management

Coordinate with foreign embassies in preparation for any event participation from their high-ranking Foreign Government officials to the United States.
Utilize expert skills in interfacing with the White House, the US Capitol, foreign embassies, as well as Federal, State, and Local Government Agencies, civic and business organizations, to plan and execute all principal event participation.
When requested by the Secret Service, Stratus will take the lead on security and work alongside the Smithsonian and NPG security teams to address any security concerns.

Day-Of Services

On-Site Technical Production & Show Direction

Oversee technical direction and stage and floor management.
Assist with full stage production, stage management, show direction, etc.
Manage all day-of technical production services, inclusive of rehearsal management, lead-up tasks, and advanced planning for sponsorship activations.
Coordinate and maintain necessary technical requirements, including sound, lighting, and stage management, video, graphics, and rehearsal(s).
Manage all programmatic talent-related pieces before and during the event.

On-Site Logistics Management

Coordinate production schedules and floor plans of event spaces.
With the NPG team, manage the day-of-event timeline to ensure that event flow is logical and runs smoothly while in motion.
Manage and oversee load-in and setup of decor, stage sets for activations, and installations.
Full Registration Management, inclusive of RSVP management, creation of a check-in system, and guest list management.

Post-Event Services

Post Event Project Management

Ensure final invoices are sent in a timely manner, and all event contracts are closed out.
Evaluate vendor/contractor performance and provide recommendations on future plans.
Host final post-event meeting inclusive of all project stakeholders.
Close out the project across all areas of work.

Key Performance Indicators and Report

At the beginning of the project, Stratus will work with the NPG team to identify KPIs to help measure the success of this relationship. Examples include attendance metrics, stakeholder feedback, NPS, cost-to-revenue ratio, etc.
At the end of the project, Stratus will present NPG with a full report on the requested KPIs.