Beyoncé will return to the Met Gala next spring after a decade away. The global music and fashion icon is set to co-chair the 2026 event. Vogue announced her role Wednesday alongside fellow co-chairs Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour.
The 2026 Met Gala is scheduled for May 4, 2026, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The annual fundraiser benefits the museum’s Costume Institute and draws fashion, entertainment, music and art leaders.
This will be Beyoncé’s first gala appearance since 2016. At that event, themed “Manus x Machina,” she sparked conversation with a standout Givenchy haute couture look.
In a statement, Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton described the exhibition tied to the gala. He said the show “focuses on the centrality of the dressed body within the museum.” It will place fashion within a broader artistic context, exploring many forms of the human body.
The 2026 gala’s exhibition, titled “Costume Art,” will open to the public May 10, 2026, and run through Jan. 10, 2027. Bolton said the goal is to highlight how garments intersect with history, identity and art.
A Star-Studded Leadership Team
Beyoncé, a seven-time Met Gala attendee, will join actress Nicole Kidman and tennis great Venus Williams as co-chairs with Wintour. Kidman and Williams have both appeared on the gala’s red carpet in recent years.
“Bringing together talent from music, film and sport shows how fashion transcends boundaries,” Wintour said in a press release.
The gala will also feature a host committee led by Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz. The committee list includes celebrities such as Doja Cat, Sabrina Carpenter, Misty Copeland and others. Their involvement reflects the event’s growing cultural reach.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are among the event’s lead sponsors, underscoring the gala’s stature in fashion and philanthropy.
Fashion observers say Beyoncé’s return marks a notable shift for an event that has evolved dramatically over the past decade. “Her presence will set the tone for the night,” one industry source said, noting her history of memorable looks and influence on pop culture.
Beyoncé debuted at the Met Gala in 2008, and during her appearances she often used fashion to make bold statements. Her last appearance, a decade ago, was widely covered by fashion and entertainment media.
The official dress code for the 2026 gala has not been announced, but sources say it will reflect the “Costume Art” theme and encourage high-concept designs.