Presenters include Maya Lin, Mabel O. Wilson for an evening celebrating radical imagination and revitalization of public art and public space.
Long Island City, NY – On June 5, 2025, from 6:30pm to 9:30pm, Socrates Sculpture Park will host its annual Gala, honoring three cultural visionaries whose bold, community-rooted work continues to shape the artistic and built environment in New York City and beyond.
Held at Spacetime CC, the waterfront studio of artist and Socrates founder Mark Mark di Suvero, this special evening will celebrate individuals and collectives whose practices echo Socrates’ commitment to public art and public space as platforms for creativity, dialogue, and transformation—where art is not only made, but lived with, engaged, and shared.
2025 honorees include:
Held at Spacetime CC, the waterfront studio of artist and Socrates founder Mark Mark di Suvero, this special evening will celebrate individuals and collectives whose practices echo Socrates’ commitment to public art and public space as platforms for creativity, dialogue, and transformation—where art is not only made, but lived with, engaged, and shared.
2025 honorees include:
- Alison Saar, Artist | Nationally renowned sculptor and public artist whose 1988 installation Fanning the Fire debuted at Socrates. Saar continues to shape public memory through monuments across the U.S. and abroad.
- Nat Oppenheimer, Senior Vice President, TYLin | Celebrated for his engineering leadership and advocacy for ethical building practices. Oppenheimer played a pivotal role in the creation of The Cubes, Socrates' first permanent structure.
- LOT-EK (Ada Tolla & Giuseppe Lignano) | Award-winning design firm behind The Cubes. Known for their use of industrial materials and reinvention of architectural form.
The evening will include presentations by Maya Lin, acclaimed artist, architect, and sculptor; and Mabel O. Wilson, architect, designer, and founder of Studio &. Guests will enjoy cocktails, dinner, and a celebration of the vital role artists, architects, and designers play in shaping cultural and civic life—across New York City, the nation, and the world. From reimagining public space to advancing equity through design, the evening will honor those whose creative practices help build more connected, inspired, and equitable communities.
Socrates Sculpture Park is the only New York City arts institution that operates a permanent public park, commissions and presents public art created onsite by artists, and serves as an environmental steward in its community.
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Time: 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Location: Spacetime CC, Waterfront Studio of Socrates Founder, Mark di Suvero
For media inquiries, assets or interviews, or coverage opportunities, please contact:
Ayofemi Kirby
ayofemi@itseleventhirtysix.com
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About Socrates Sculpture Park
For nearly 40 years, Socrates Sculpture Park has stood as a nationally recognized model for public art production, community-driven cultural programming, and socially engaged placemaking. Founded in 1986 by visionary sculptor Mark di Suvero, the Park was established on a former illegal landfill and riverside dumpsite—transformed through grassroots effort into a thriving cultural space where art, nature, and community converge.
Since its founding, Socrates has remained the only New York City park dedicated to both the creation and presentation of large-scale public art. More than 1,200 artists have developed and exhibited new works on its five-acre waterfront campus, which includes open-air studio facilities, a fabrication workshop, and exhibition grounds.
Exhibiting artists over the years have included Agnes Denes, Jeffrey Gibson, Guadalupe Maravilla, Virginia Overton, Jean Shin, Sable Elyse Smith, Nari Ward, Meg Webster, and Hank Willis Thomas, among many others. Their works have explored urgent themes—from climate justice and urban ecologies to migration, memory, and identity—reflecting Socrates’ commitment to public space as a site of critical dialogue and cultural experimentation.
Socrates Sculpture Park is always free and open to the public 365 days a year, from 9 AM to sunset. It is located at 32-01 Vernon Boulevard at Broadway in Long Island City, Queens, along the East River. The Park is operated by Socrates Sculpture Park, Inc., an independent nonprofit licensed by NYC Parks to manage and program this unique public space. For more information visit socratessculpturepark.org.
Socrates Sculpture Park is the only New York City arts institution that operates a permanent public park, commissions and presents public art created onsite by artists, and serves as an environmental steward in its community.
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Time: 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Location: Spacetime CC, Waterfront Studio of Socrates Founder, Mark di Suvero
For media inquiries, assets or interviews, or coverage opportunities, please contact:
Ayofemi Kirby
ayofemi@itseleventhirtysix.com
###
About Socrates Sculpture Park
For nearly 40 years, Socrates Sculpture Park has stood as a nationally recognized model for public art production, community-driven cultural programming, and socially engaged placemaking. Founded in 1986 by visionary sculptor Mark di Suvero, the Park was established on a former illegal landfill and riverside dumpsite—transformed through grassroots effort into a thriving cultural space where art, nature, and community converge.
Since its founding, Socrates has remained the only New York City park dedicated to both the creation and presentation of large-scale public art. More than 1,200 artists have developed and exhibited new works on its five-acre waterfront campus, which includes open-air studio facilities, a fabrication workshop, and exhibition grounds.
Exhibiting artists over the years have included Agnes Denes, Jeffrey Gibson, Guadalupe Maravilla, Virginia Overton, Jean Shin, Sable Elyse Smith, Nari Ward, Meg Webster, and Hank Willis Thomas, among many others. Their works have explored urgent themes—from climate justice and urban ecologies to migration, memory, and identity—reflecting Socrates’ commitment to public space as a site of critical dialogue and cultural experimentation.
Socrates Sculpture Park is always free and open to the public 365 days a year, from 9 AM to sunset. It is located at 32-01 Vernon Boulevard at Broadway in Long Island City, Queens, along the East River. The Park is operated by Socrates Sculpture Park, Inc., an independent nonprofit licensed by NYC Parks to manage and program this unique public space. For more information visit socratessculpturepark.org.