Marie Lorenz

Shaun Leonardo, executive director of Socrates Sculpture Park, speaks with oral historian Dani Stompor to reflect on his two-decade relationship with the park. He begins with his first visit in 2004, discussing his early role as events manager organizing the park’s outdoor cinema program and other community programs, and later to his positions as director of public programs and board member before eventually returning to the park as executive director.

Leonardo recounts the development of community-centered programming at the park in the early 2000s, including outdoor film screenings curated in collaboration with institutions such as local restaurants, the Museum of the Moving Image, and Rooftop Films. He discusses the improvisational nature of producing events in the park’s earlier years, emphasizing his vision of community engagement as a reciprocal exchange.

Throughout the interview, Leonardo reflects on the founding ethos of the park established by artist Mark di Suvero and a coalition of artists and community members who reclaimed the former landfill site along the East River. He describes the park as a “democratic experiment” rooted in learning by doing. The conversation also explores Leonardo’s own artistic practice in socially engaged art and how his institutional work intersects with his identity as an artist.

The interview also examines the park’s evolving relationship with the surrounding neighborhood of Astoria, particularly along the East River. Leonardo discusses demographic change and the importance of continually developing relationships with local residents. In particular, he discusses the unique relationship Socrates has with Astoria Houses and the history of their workforce development program. He also reflects on the park’s ecological stewardship and the incremental transformation of the park through horticulture, land reclamation, and climate resilience efforts.

In closing, Leonardo shares his vision for the future of Socrates Sculpture Park as it approaches its 40th anniversary. He outlines plans to reinvigorate the park’s founding principles while maintaining its role as a free and accessible public space for artistic experimentation and communal gathering. Interview conducted by Danica Stompor.