Taylor Swift will perform at the sixth annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on Saturday 17 October. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures announced the booking on Thursday 8 October in a post on X, confirming that the 36-year-old singer will close the evening. The announcement drew wide attention from fans within hours. This year marks the sixth edition of the event.
This year’s gala honours three filmmakers: Charlize Theron, Colman Domingo and John Carpenter. Amy Homma, the museum’s director and president, welcomed the news in a statement. “Taylor is an extraordinary talent whose work resonates around the world,” she said, adding that the museum was delighted to have Swift on the bill. Homma confirmed that the singer’s set would bring the night to an end. The choice of a closing performance by Swift gives the evening a different focus from previous editions.
The event is the museum’s main yearly fundraiser. Money raised supports its exhibitions, film screenings and education programmes. The gala is co-chaired by Tom Ford, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw. Its host committee includes Jessica Alba, Nicholas Galitzine, Kirsten Dunst, Kate Hudson, Rami Malek, Demi Moore, Olivia Munn, Teyana Taylor, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, among others. The list reflects the strong ties between the museum and the Hollywood establishment.
Fans hoping to watch from home may be disappointed. The museum has not announced plans to broadcast or livestream the evening, and the gala is a private fundraiser rather than a televised awards show. No details of Swift’s set list have been released, so it is not yet known which songs she will perform or whether she will play material from her latest work. Photographs from the red carpet and inside the event are expected to emerge on the night.
Swift recently released the music video for her new single, Patient Zero, and has spoken about working with Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell on the shoot. Her appearance at the gala adds a major music moment to one of Hollywood’s most closely watched autumn events. With the honourees spanning acting and genre filmmaking, the evening is expected to draw a large turnout from across the film industry when it takes place next week. Swift’s involvement means the gala is likely to attract far more attention than usual.
