Hammer Director Zoë Ryan said, “Jane Fonda has been a force for change for 50 years, as much for her contributions to cinema as for her outspoken activism. She has been especially vocal as an advocate for protecting the environment, founding the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, and speaking regularly to raise awareness about the unprecedented threats we all face. Lauren Halsey is one of the most dynamic artists working today, with an upcoming sculpture park scheduled to open in South Central Los Angeles in 2026. Through her nonprofit Summaeverythang Community Center, she helps to feed the community with produce boxes sourced from local farms. Both Jane and Lauren are committed to building a more just world—a value at the core of the Hammer’s mission—and we are fortunate to have them as part of our community.”
The museum’s largest fundraising event attracts cultural and civic leaders in Los Angeles, as well as artists, collectors, and patrons of the arts. The last Gala in the Garden in 2024, which celebrated previous Hammer director Ann Philbin on the occasion of her retirement, raised $3.6 million for the museum.
Proceeds from the gala support the Hammer’s dynamic and internationally acclaimed exhibitions and public programs. Exhibitions on view at the time of the Gala in the Garden will include Head for the Hills! Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection and Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts; Performance on Paper; and three Hammer Projects featuring artists Colectivo Cherani, Lap-See Lam, and Renata Petersen.
Since 2005, the Hammer’s Gala in the Garden has honored an artist and a cultural luminary who have made profound contributions to society through their work. Past honorees include Hilton Als, Laurie Anderson, Margaret Atwood, John Baldessari, Mark Bradford, Judy Chicago, Joan Didion, Ava DuVernay, Dave Eggers, Charles Gaines, Frank Gehry, Robert Gober, Matt Groening, Todd Haynes, Diane Keaton, Mike Kelley, Barbara Kruger, Tony Kushner, Glenn Ligon, Paul McCarthy, Joni Mitchell, Catherine Opie, Jordan Peele, Lari Pittman, Miuccia Prada, Charles Ray, Ed Ruscha, Cindy Sherman, Chase Strangio, Kara Walker, and Alice Waters.
