A crisp Tuesday night at New York’s IAC Building unfolded as a convergence of art-world stalwarts and creatives rallied around Project EATS’s multi-pronged mission, which provides access to both food and culture by turning vacant lots into urban farms and community spaces.
The Occasion: The 2025 benefit honored two cultural powerhouses: Dana Cowin, a food writer and the longtime editor-in-chief of Food & Wine, and 2025 CULT100 recipient Lauren Halsey, an artist known for immersive architectural installations and graphic collage works that explore the issues of her community, most notably in South Central LA.
The Crowd: A tight edit of artists, patrons, and cultural leaders brought their support to the event and committees, including Project EATS founder and president Linda Goode Bryant; artists Anne Delaney, Holton Rower, Dan Colen, Maria Berro, Sarah Workneh, Michele Oka Doner, Glenn Ligon, Cindy Sherman, and Derrick Adams; CULTURED Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson; designer Vicente Wolf; gallerists Marc Payot, Iwan and Manuela Wirth, and Nicola Vassell; patrons Ann Tenenbaum, Sarah Arison, Neil and Marika Bender, Abigail Disney, Beth Rudin and Kyle DeWoody, Jon Gilman, Naomi and Seth Pollack, and George Wells; and arts leaders Glenn Lowry, Becca Hoffman, Jack Hanley, Marc B. Porter, and Brad Learmonth; writer Rachel Tashjian Wise; and gallery director Lloyd Wise.
Food & Drink: Gramercy Tavern Chef de Cuisine Aretah Ettarh and L’Atelier Ébène chef Camari Mick led the night’s culinary experience, offering a meal grounded in the storytelling power of food.
The Entertainment: The evening’s entertainment centered on Cowin and Halsey, with emphatic speeches to the gathered audience, as well as an overarching exploration of Project EATS’s ongoing work supporting farm stands and its community programming, connecting creativity with nourishment.
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