Project EATS held its 2025 benefit gala at New York's IAC Building, honoring food writer and former Food & Wine editor-in-chief Dana Cowin and artist Lauren Halsey, a 2025 CULT100 recipient. The event brought together a crowd of artists, patrons, and cultural leaders including Cindy Sherman, Glenn Ligon, Iwan and Manuela Wirth, and Glenn Lowry, with a culinary experience led by chefs Aretah Ettarh and Camari Mick. The evening featured speeches celebrating Cowin and Halsey, and highlighted Project EATS's mission of transforming vacant lots into urban farms and community spaces that provide access to food and culture.
The gala matters because it underscores the growing intersection of art, food, and community activism, with Project EATS serving as a model for how cultural institutions and creative figures can address urban food insecurity. By honoring both a prominent food editor and a socially engaged artist like Lauren Halsey, the event signals a broader recognition of art's role in fostering sustainable community development, while also showcasing the philanthropic networks that sustain such initiatives.