Socrates offers a variety of exciting events throughout the season. To receive advance notice of special events, sign up for our e-mail bulletins.
Kite Flight: Plastic Play
Sixth Annual Kite Making Workshop
Sunday, April 27, 2008 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Free / Rain or shine!
Long Island City, NY (March 10, 2008) – Socrates Sculpture
Park and The Noguchi Museum are proud to present the sixth annual
kite making workshop and flying event. This free hands-on workshop
will take place at Socrates Sculpture Park and welcomes children
of all ages to participate. This year, children and their families
will find an excellent new use for plastic bags by transforming this
durable, and light weight material into beautiful recycled kites!
Kite designs are provided by artists Miwa Koizumi and Marco Scoffier who will draw inspiration from the Park’s fantastic view of the Manhattan skyline. Participants
will have the opportunity to build and decorate their kites, then
fly them in the Park.
Advance registration is not required, but space is limited, so come early! The
workshops are free and will be held - rain or shine - under a tent in
the education area at Socrates Sculpture Park; all materials and
supplies will be provided.
The Noguchi Museum is dedicated to the work of one of the twentieth century’s
most important artists and designers. Founded in 1985 by Isamu Noguchi
(1904-1988) in a former photo-engraving plant, the Museum helped
pioneer the transformation of Long Island City into an arts destination.
The Museum displays a comprehensive collection of Noguchi’s artwork
in galleries that surround an open-air sculpture garden. From 11-6PM,
Kite Flight attendees can cross the street to view highlights from the Museum’s
permanent collection.
Socrates Sculpture Park was an abandoned riverside landfill and
illegal dumpsite until 1986 when a coalition of artists and community
members, under the leadership of sculptor Mark di Suvero, transformed
it into an open studio and exhibition space for artists and a neighborhood
park for local residents. Today, it is an internationally renowned
outdoor museum and artist residency program that also serves as a
vital New York City park offering a wide variety of free public programs.
The Park’s existence isbased on the belief that reclamation, revitalization
and creative expression are essential to the survival, humanity and
improvement of our urban environment.
Kite Flight: Plastic Play is inspired by Socrates Sculpture Park’s
spring exhibition, Waste Not, Want Not. Opening on Sunday, May 4,
2008, the show will feature artists that have found innovative ways
to address notions of recycling, repurposing and re-using existing materials,
systems and practices.
Socrates Sculpture Park is open 365 days a year from 10 AM to sunset and
is located at the intersection of Broadway and Vernon Boulevard in
Long Island City.
For directions to
the Park, please visit our website:
>Directions
For additional information about Kite Flight: Plastic Play please contact
Ellen Staller at Socrates Sculpture Park, 718.956.1819 ext. 12, or
Heather Brady at The Noguchi Museum, 718.204.7088 ext. 205, or e-mail
info@socratessculpturepark.org.
This program is made possible by a generous grant from ConEdison and is
supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department
of Cultural Affairs.
Special thanks to the City of New York, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Queens
Borough President Helen M. Marshall, City Council Speaker Christine
C. Quinn, Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, City Councilmembers Eric
Gioia and Peter F. Vallone, and the Department of Parks & Recreation,
Commissioner Adrian Benepe.
Learn more about kites
and kite making by visiting the artist's web site.
miwa et
marco: metma.org-
First Annual
LIC Bike Parade!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Registration 11:30 AM
Workshops 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Parade 3:00 PM - 4:00PM Free / Rain or shine!
On Saturday, May 10, Socrates Sculpture Park will present the first annual LIC Bike Parade in partnership with Bike New York, Freestyle Arts Association, Friends of Queensbridge Park, Materials for the Arts, The Noguchi Museum, Partnerships for Parks, Recycle-A-Bicycle, and Transportation Alternatives (Queens Committee). This FREE family and community event will invite children of all ages to explore the creative and functional potential of adaptive reuse, by using repurposed materials to repair and decorate their bikes! Socrates Sculpture Park is delighted to launch this new collaboration and plans to institute the LIC Bike Parade as an annual community event.The day will kick-off with several hands-on workshops and activities at the Park including bike decorating with artists from Socrates Sculpture Park, Freestyle Arts Association, Materials for the Arts, and the Noguchi Museum; bikerepair consultations with Recycle-A-Bicycle; riding safety tips and helmet fitting with Bike New York and Transportation Alternatives. Immediately following the workshops, participants will parade their bikes around the Park in a colorful procession with Hungry March Band and performers from Circus Amok, City Reliquary and the Civic Riders Bicycle Club, that will continue down Vernon Boulevard and finish at Queensbridge Park where participants will be welcomed with bicycle themed music presented by Friends of Queensbridge Park. In addition, Bike New York will offer educational bike workshops at local organizations during the weeks preceding the event.
To learn more visit
www.bikenewyork.org.
Advance registration is not required, but space is limited. Please arrive
early! All workshops are free and supplies will be provided. Participants
are required to bring their own bicycles. The workshops will last approximately
three hours and will be held -rain or shine - in the education area at
Socrates Sculpture Park.
This first annual LICBike Parade is inspired by Socrates Sculpture Park’s
spring exhibition. Opening on Sunday, May 4, 2008, the show will feature
artists that have found innovative ways to address notions of recycling,
repurposing and re-using existing materials, systems and practices.
Socrates Sculpture Park was an abandoned riverside landfill and
illegal dumpsite until 1986 when a coalition of artists and community
members, under the leadership of sculptor Mark di Suvero, transformed
it into an open studio and exhibition space for artists and a neighborhood
park for local residents. Today, it is an internationally renowned outdoor
museum and artist residency program that also serves as a vital New York
City park offering a wide variety of free public programs. The Park’s
existence is based on the belief that reclamation, revitalization and
creative expression are essential to the survival, humanity and improvement
of our urban environment.
Socrates Sculpture Park is open 365 days a year from 10am to sunset and
is located at the intersection of Broadway and Vernon Boulevard in Long
Island City. For directions to the Park, please visit our website: www.socratessculpturepark.org.
For additional information about LIC Bike Parade and the upcoming spring
exhibition, please contact Ellen Staller at Socrates Sculpture Park, 718.956.1819
ext. 12 or e-mail info@socratessculpturepark.org.
This program is made possible by generous grants from ConEdison and The
November Fund and is supported, in part, by public funds from the New
York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
Special thanks to Partnerships for Parks.
Socrates Sculpture Park is grateful for the support of the City of New
York, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Queens Borough President Helen M. Marshall,
City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan,
City Councilmembers Eric Gioia and Peter F. Vallone, Jr. and the Department
of Parks & Recreation, Commissioner Adrian Benepe.