Grounds For Sculpture Inc

GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE COMBINES ART AND BECKONING SPACES TO WELCOME, SURPRISE, AND ENGAGE ALL VISITORS IN THE ARTISTS ACT OF INVENTION.

VISITOR SERVICES: DESIGNED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION SERVICES, PROCESS MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS, COORDINATE TOUR GROUPS, PERFORM INTRODUCTORY LECTURES, ASSIST WITH SPECIAL EVENTS AND COLLECT ENTRANCE FEES. STAFF MONITORS MULTIPLE PARK ENTRY POINTS AS WELL AS INFORMATION DESKS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE PARK. IN 2021, GFS EXPANDED ITS CAPACITY BACK TO PRE-COVID LEVELS. THE TICKETING PROCESS REMAINED AS A FULLY ONLINE, ADVANCE PURCHASE TICKETING SYSTEM THAT HAD BEEN IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL YEARS EARLIER NOT ALLOWING ANY IN-PERSON PURCHASES IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. WE WELCOMED OVER 245,000 VISITORS, A 132% INCREASE OVER 2020. GFS IS COMMITTED TO EQUITABLE ACCESS AND WELCOMING IN THE COMMUNITY. IN 2021, REDUCED ADMISSION WAS OFFERED TO 3,352 FRONT-LINE HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND 1,404 VETERANS/ACTIVE MILITARY. WE JOINED THE FAMILIES FIRST DISCOVERY INITIATIVE WHICH OFFERS FREE OR DISOUNTED ADMISSION. IN 2021 3,304 IN THIS PROGRAM VISITED.

EXHIBITIONS: IN 2021, OVER 245,000 PEOPLE VISITED GFS. GFS EMBRACES A WIDE RANGE OF CONTEMPORARY SCULPTURE AND RELATED ART IN ITS EXHIBITIONS. THESE PROJECTS AFFIRM THE ORGANIZATIONS COMMITMENT TO BROADENING OUR EXHIBITION PROGRAM AND COLLECTION IN WAYS THAT REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF THE REGION AND THE DYNAMIC WORLD AROUND US. GFS MAINTAINS THE WORK OF THE OUTDOOR COLLECTION AT THE HIGHEST STANDARDS, WITH ONGOING SCULPTURE RESTORATION PROJECTS PERFORMED DURING DURING THE YEAR. BRUCE BEASLEYS 60 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE, WAS DELAYED FROM 2020. NEW INSTALLATIONS OF SEWARD JOHNSONS VIRAL ART TOOK PLACE WHICH EXPLORE THE ARTWORK ALONGSIDE THE IMPRESSIONIST PAINTINGS THAT HAVE INSPIRED THIS WORK. GFS INVESTED IN OUR PLAN TO HAVE YEAR-ROUND EXHIBITIONS BY OPENING OUR NEW MULTI-SENSORY OUTDOOR EXHIBITION CALLED NIGHT FORMS. (REFERRED TO IN NOTE - PART III, NOTE 2.)

ARTS EDUCATION: DUE TO THE COVID 19 SHUTDOWN, MANY PROGRAMS WERE SUSPENDED FOR 2021 WITH INDOOR GALLERIES AND CLASSROOMS CLOSED. GFS INITIATED A SERIES OF HYBRID PROGRAMMING WITH AN ONLINE COMPONENT PAIRED WITH AN IN-PERSON VISIT. WE ADDED A VIRTUAL TOUR OF OUR BEASLEY RETROSPECTIVE SO THAT VISITORS WHO WERE UNABLE TO VISIT THE PARK IN PERSON COULD STILL EXPERIENCE THE EXHIBITION. WE INCREASED WELLNESS RELATED PROGRAMS THAT LEVERAGE THE UNIQUE HEALING POTENTIAL OF ART & NATURE. A SERIES OF IN PERSON, OUTDOOR WELL BEING WORKSHOPS WERE OFFERED INCLUDING YOGA, FAMILY MEDITATION,MINDULNESS IN NATURE AND NATURE JOURNALING IN A SAFE AND TRANQUIL SETTING. SINCE HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIIES REMAINED AT REDUCED LEVELS, WE CONTINUED OUR ART BOX KIT PROGRAM WITH MATERIALS AND INSTRUCTIONS AS WELL AS A SERIES OF FAMILY GUIDES TO ENCOURAGE SELF-GUIDED EXPLORATION OF ART AND NATURE.