On Thursday, October 29, Legends 2026 will honor two distinguished alumni and leaders in their fields: internationally acclaimed artist Derrick Adams, BFA ’96, and Global Co-Chair of Gensler Andy Cohen, BArch ’78. Pratt’s annual Legends Gala celebrates creative leaders whose work has expanded the boundaries of art, architecture, and design while raising critical scholarship support for the next generation of creative talent at Pratt Institute. The Institute’s signature fundraising event supports both need and merit-based scholarships, helping ensure that financial barriers never stand in the way of creative potential.
More than seventy-five percent of Pratt students rely on financial aid to pursue their educational and professional ambitions, and contributions from events like Legends play a pivotal role in shaping the future of creative talent.
Together, Adams and Cohen represent the power of Pratt’s creative community, from redefining contemporary art through joyful creative practice to shaping the built environment at a global scale.
“We are proud to honor Derrick Adams and Andy Cohen, two distinguished Pratt alumni whose careers have demonstrated the extraordinary ways creative practice and creative leaders can shape our world,” said Pratt Institute President Frances Bronet. “Andy has redefined how architecture and design can improve the human experience at a global scale, while Derrick’s artistic practice challenges, inspires, and celebrates community through culture and storytelling. Their achievements reflect the transformative possibilities of a Pratt education, and through Legends we are celebrating their impact while investing in the next generation of creative leaders.”
Learn more about the 2026 honorees below:
Derrick Adams
Derrick Adams is a Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist whose acclaimed work examines and celebrates conversations around contemporary Black life, identity, and culture. Through painting, sculpture, collage, performance, and public art, Adams explores everyday experiences with vibrancy, humanity, and joy, creating work that invites reflection while affirming community and resilience.
A graduate of Pratt’s School of Art and member of the Board of Trustees, Adams earned his BFA in 1996 before receiving an MFA from Columbia University. His work has been exhibited internationally at institutions including his mid-career retrospective at ICA Boston, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Museum of Arts and Design, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Hudson River Museum, and is held in the permanent collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Studio Museum in Harlem, and many others.
“Pratt Institute helped shape how I think about creative practice and education. As an artist, educator, and member of Pratt’s Board of Trustees, I’ve seen firsthand how transformative access to a rigorous creative education can be, especially the opportunity to learn alongside students across disciplines. Education doesn’t end when you leave campus—it continues through your practice and by creating opportunities for those who come after you. I’m honored to be recognized by an institution that continues to invest in the next generation of creative practitioners,” said Adams.
Andy Cohen
Andy Cohen is Global Co-Chair of Gensler, where he has spent more than four decades helping shape one of the world’s most influential architecture and design firms. After serving as Co-CEO for 20 years, Cohen now helps guide the firm’s long-term global strategy, guiding a global practice of approximately 7,000 professionals across 57 offices serving clients in more than 100 countries.
Under his leadership, Gensler has become internationally recognized for design innovation across cities, workplaces, hospitality, health care, aviation, sports, and mixed-use development. Landmark projects including Shanghai Tower, BMO Stadium, and major international airports reflect his commitment to designing spaces that enhance how people live, work, and connect.
“I’m incredibly honored to be receiving the Pratt Legends Award, and I share this recognition with the 7,000 creative and entrepreneurial people at Gensler around the globe who’ve inspired and challenged me for my entire 45-year career. I firmly believe that design is the catalyst for massive positive change in the world, and that a creative design education will empower the next generation to develop the game-changing innovations that push us forward. Human creativity has the power to reshape communities and cities, improving how people live, work, play, and are healthy across the globe. I can’t wait to see how future cohorts of Pratt graduates will transform our profession and create a better world, through the power of design,” said Cohen.
Celebrating Art, Design, and Innovation
Legends 2026 promises an unforgettable evening in service of the next generation of artists, designers, architects, and creative leaders who will shape the future of their fields and the world. This event offers a unique chance to connect with fellow cultural institution supporters, network with Pratt alumni, and contribute to empowering the next generation of creative thinkers.
The Legends gala begins at 6 PM with a cocktail reception, followed by a 7 PM dinner and awards ceremony at Tribeca Rooftop on 2 Desbrosses St. in New York City. Visit the official Legends 2026 event page to learn more, purchase tickets, or make a donation.