Socrates Circle
Socrates Circle is a community of neighbors and supporters who sustain the life of the Park through participation, advocacy, and philanthropy.
Members of Socrates Circle support the Park not only through giving, but through active participation in the stewardship of our shared public space.
For four decades, supporters of Socrates Sculpture Park have played a vital role in ensuring that the Park remains a place where artists can experiment, neighbors can gather, and visitors from across New York City can experience contemporary art freely in an open and accessible environment.
Socrates Circle brings together individuals who share a commitment to creative expression, public space, and community care—and who believe in the power of art to shape civic life.
Whether through monthly support, annual leadership gifts, or active advocacy, members of Socrates Circle help make it possible for the Park to remain free and open 365 days a year while advancing ambitious artistic projects and public programs.
Why Join Socrates Circle
Sustain free public art and programs that serve artists, neighbors, and visitors year-round
1Support artists’ experimentation and creative risk-taking in an open, working studio environment
2Help steward a unique reclaimed waterfront site for future generations
3Be part of a community invested in the Park’s future
4How Socrates Circle Works
Socrates Circle includes several communities of supporters, each offering meaningful ways to engage with and sustain the Park’s mission:
Community Council is a community of Friends and Neighbors who make monthly contributions to sustain the daily life of the Park.
Open to all, members of the Community Council play an essential role in ensuring that Socrates Sculpture Park remains a place where artists can experiment, neighbors can gather, and visitors from across New York City can experience contemporary art in an open and accessible environment.
Benefits Include:
- Advance notice of exhibitions, programs, and public events
- Invitations to special events and seasonal celebrations
- Opportunities to engage with artists through talks and community programs
- Opportunities to participate in volunteer days, neighborhood cleanups, and stewardship activities
- Updates and communications about the Park’s work and impact
Artists Council brings together supporters of artists and contemporary art whose annual gifts provide critical support for artists, exhibitions, public programs, and the ecological stewardship of Socrates Sculpture Park.
Reflecting the spirit of experimentation and exchange that defines Socrates, members of the Artists Council are invited into the artistic and ecological life of the Park. Through encounters with current artists, Socrates alumni, and key figures in contemporary and public art, members deepen their connection to the artists, ideas, and landscape that shape this unique public space.
Benefits Include:
- Invitations to special gatherings, exhibition openings, and milestone celebrations at the Park
- Opportunities to engage with Socrates artists, alumni, and key figures in contemporary and public art through studio visits, exhibition walkthroughs, talks, and other special programs
- Updates and briefings on major artistic and ecological initiatives and projects
- Recognition as a member of the Artist Council on the Socrates website and in donor listings
- Opportunities for additional recognition connected to sponsorship or special support
- All benefits of the Community Council
Ambassadors Council is an invitation-only group of dedicated neighbors, advocates, and connectors who champion Socrates Sculpture Park and help grow its community of support.
Ambassadors share a deep commitment to the Park and the role it plays in the cultural and civic life of Queens and New York City. Through their annual support, advocacy, and engagement, they help strengthen the relationships that sustain Socrates as a place for artists, neighbors, and the stewardship of our shared public space.
As some of the Park’s closest advocates, Ambassadors are invited to be active participants in the life and future of Socrates—sharing its work, bringing new people into its orbit, and helping build a broader network of support for the Park and its mission.
Membership in the Ambassadors Council is by invitation.
For more information, please contact development@socratessculpturepark.org