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As you probably already know, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the best travel rewards credit cards out there. Whether you’re a beginner or a more experienced traveler, the card offers exceptional value and special perks for an annual fee of $95, which is waived the first year. There are also a number of other factors that make this card an appealing option, like its sign-up bonus of 50,000 points after you spend $4,000 within the first three months — that’s worth $625 when you redeem points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
One of my favorite lesser-known perks that you’ll score by having this card is access to cardholder-only events. Having had a great experience at Chase’s Vegas Uncork’d event earlier this year, I decided to check out the Season 11 Premier Party for the Artists Den series — an exclusive screening in NYC that was closed to the general public — and take some of these VIP perks for a spin.
You can find special events like this on Chase’s Upcoming Events page. The Artists Den Concert Series, which features secret concerts in unexpected settings, is sponsored by Chase Sapphire Preferred, giving cardholders a better chance at snagging tickets. I wasn’t able to get in to see a live taping (since those are even more limited), so I was thrilled to instead be going to an exclusive screening of the first episode of Season 11, which featured performances by Panic! at the Disco.
The event was held at The Morgan Library & Museum in Manhattan and tickets were $50. Everyone had to check in with the front desk upon entering and was required to show both a photo ID and his or her Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
From there, everyone headed down the main hallway of the museum to the reception area, which was well lit with natural light flowing in from large, floor-to-ceiling windows.
No reception and cocktail hour would be complete without a bar and hors d’oeuvres — thankfully, this event had both, and cocktail waitresses made their way around the room offering avocado toast, sliders and other quick bites.
Everything seemed very put together and well organized. One of the coolest parts of the night was the option to tour JP Morgan’s Library. Two times throughout the evening, a museum tour guide led groups through the library, a real (and unexpected) treat because it hadn’t been marketed anywhere for this event.
After about an hour and a half of mingling with other Sapphire Preferred cardholders, it was time to head downstairs for the screening.
Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Artists Den really could not have picked a better location for the screening. Part of the magic of Artists Den performances is that the venue is always carefully selected to give both the artist and the audience an experience unlike any other. They’ve been held at such venues as the New York Public Library, the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles, a high school in Austin, Texas and Elvis’ former Graceland home, just to name a few. The intimate, elegant setting of The Morgan Library & Museum for this event was nothing short of phenomenal.
Upon walking into the theater, each guest received a rolled up poster on his or her seat, which ended up also acting as a ticket for admission to the after party.
One of the best parts about attending was that the creators of Artists Den and the director of the episode were there as well — not only were those in attendance granted access to an advanced screening of the episode, but we were also given the inside scoop from the people who know the series the best.
Following the hour-long show — which was great, by the way! — Mark Lieberman, the executive producer of Artists Den, and Alan Light, the director of programming, appeared on stage with the episode’s director, Torre Catalano. The three answered questions from the audience, and it was a really neat, one-of-a-kind experience.
The event portion was really well done. Considering the performances by Panic! At the Disco weren’t actually live, (since it was a screening), I have to admit that I’d been a bit skeptical but Sapphire Preferred and Artists Den really channeled the energy and exclusivity of the tapings to this event.
To finish off the night, we were ushered from the theater to the Morgans New York hotel next door. After entering the beautifully lit hallway, we showed our posters as a ticket for admission to the after party.
Inside, the hospitality and exclusive feel of the event didn’t go away. There was a full open bar as well as several mini-desserts and snacks for us to munch on. Along with the Artists Den theme of great venues for events, the Morgans New York hotel was a great location for the after party.
Bottom Line
Each Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholder event I’ve attended has been an amazing experience. Aside from the travel and rewards perks the card will give you, being able to attend exclusive parties like this Artists Den screening make this card really stand out from the others. There are plenty of reasons to get the card, and events like this make it that much more worth a spot in your wallet.
Source: thepointsguy.com