In 1990, Socrates Sculpture Park founded the Education Program, offering a variety of innovative classes and activities for children. The goal of the Park's Education Program is to provide an exciting and stimulating curriculum that teaches practical skills for building confidence and a sense of personal achievement. The unique setting of Socrates Sculpture Park provides children with the opportunity to explore their creative talents in an outdoor setting.
Yoga
in the Park (Saturdays, May 10 - September 27, 2008)
Pilates in the Park (Sundays, May 11
- June 29, 2008)
Tai Chi in the Park (Sundays, May 11 -
September 28, 2008)
Capoeira in the Park (Saturdays, May 10
- September 27, 2008)
Saturday Sculpture Workshops (Saturdays,
May 10 - September 27, 2008)
Summer Outdoor Artmaking Workshops (July
7 - August 15, 2008)
Tour Programs
Private Workshops
Boating in Hallets Cove (Sundays, May
18 - October 12, 2008 - weather permitting)
Coastal Classrooms (Tuesdays - Fridays,
July & August , 2008)
For more information about these programs, please contact Tara Sansone,
Director of Education and Community Relations at 718-956-1819, ext. 10.
>>>> View a condensed version of the schedule <<<
Yoga in the
Park
Saturdays, May 10 - September 27 (rain or shine)
First session: 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Second session: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Socrates offers free Kripalu Yoga, a system of Hatha Yoga that integrates
body postures, breathing techniques, relaxation and meditation. Taught
by Monique Schubert, participants are encouraged to integrate their yoga
practices with this very special waterfront environment of nature and
art. Suitable for all experience levels. Participants should bring a mat
or towel.
Pilates in the Park
Sundays, May 11 - June 29 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (rain or shine)
Socrates Sculpture Park is pleased to introduce a fourth outdoor exercise class into its weekly repertoire. Classical Pilates encourages proper breathing, spinal alignment, core strengthening, muscle flexibility and balance in the body. Taught by Cortnie Vitali, participants will leave feeling empowered, and stress free.
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Tai Chi in
the Park
Sundays, May 11 – September 28 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (rain or shine)
Socrates hosts free Tai Chi classes in the Park led by members of the
Taoist Tai Chi Society. Participants will have the opportunity to relax
and exercise among the changing exhibitions of contemporary outdoor sculpture.
Classes are designed for all experience levels. Participants should wear
comfortable clothing.
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Capoeira in the Park
Saturdays, May 10 - September 27 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM (rain or shine)
Capoeira is a lively martial art that originated in Brazil over 450 years ago. Self-defense techniques are concealed by graceful dance moves and spectacular acrobatics set to music. Taught by Professor Abará. Classes are designed for all experience levels. Participants should wear comfortable clothing.
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Saturday Sculpture Workshops
Saturdays, May 10 - September 27 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM (rain or shine)
Workshops are offered in the education area at Socrates Sculpture Park on a drop in basis.
Participants work with a new artist each week, exploring diverse and innovative art mediums.
May 10
Decorate Your Bike with McKendree Key, Mitch Miller and Free Style Arts Association.
Transform your bicycle, tricycle or scooter into a mobile work of art and then flaunt it in the 1st annual LIC Bike Parade!
May 17
Socrates Sock Garden with Lilah Freedland
Using an array of colorful socks, children and their parents spend an afternoon turning orphaned socks into a beautiful collaborative sock garden.
May 24
(Re)cycle Kites with Miwa Koizumi and Marco Scoffier
Bring your stash of recycled plastic shopping bags and repurpose them to make a beautiful and sturdy kite.
May 31
To the Rescue! with Shaun Leonardo
Socrates’ resident superhero Shaun "El C" Leonardo needs your help! Using fabric, paint and recycled materials, participants construct their own superhero costume complete with a discussion on special powers and how to be a great hero.
June 7
Waterfront City with Free Style Arts Association
Using an array of recycled and reusable materials, kids, big and small, are guided in creating and decorating a life-size architectural form that will slowly become a city with rooms, walkways and porches.
June 14
Rock, Paper, Scissors with McKendree Key
A Socrates classic! Using recycled and natural materials, participants learn the basics of papermaking to create beautiful handmade paper.
June 21
Squirt By Numbers with Free Style Arts Association
Using oil pastels to create an outline, participants use squirt guns filled with watercolors to “paint” the inside of the drawings and watch as their masterpieces explode with color.
June 28
Windsocks with McKendree Key
Kids and adults learn how to indicate wind direction and wind speed by creating their own decorative windsocks from recycled fabric.
July 5
Plastic Fusion with Miwa Koizumi and Marco Scoffier
Discover and experiment with ways to transform the typical plastic shopping bag. Using household irons, plastic shopping bags will be fused together to create huge sails or capes or animals - whatever your imagination and creative thinking will allow!
July 12
Sun and Sail with Martine Kaczynski
Future sailors make their own sailboats using fabric, straws and clay, then decorate their boat and sail it in a pool at the Park.
July 19
Summer Snow Globes with Greg Martin
Using materials and objects found in the Park, participants capture a moment in time by creating snowscape scenes inside mason jars.
July 26
Animæ in the Park with Greg Martin
Kids go on a treasure hunt around the grounds of the Park and collect organic objects then work together to create an animated stop-motion movie using a digital camera.
August 2
Mini Park Project with Rachael Champion
Create your own “mini park” by making a small terrarium. Participants will build a self-sustaining home for small plants out of recycled materials with soil provided by the Park’s composting station.
August 9
My Humble Abode with Rachael Champion
Students learn to build miniature dwellings out of natural materials such as straw, sand, and mud. This ancient building technique called cob construction is durable, green and extremely energy efficient. The sculptural material will provide both structural integrity and room for imagination.
August 16
Sacred Socrates with Shaun Leonardo
Aspiring anthropologists engage in a discussion about the myths and truths of traditional Mayan headdresses while making a magical headdress using recycled materials, fabrics and plant clippings indigenous to the Park's landscape.
August 23
Magic Carpet Ride with Linda Ganjian
Learn about the symbolism and techniques used in Middle-Eastern carpet making to create your own carpet collage. Fabrics of all shapes, textures, colors and patterns will be provided for a variety of design interpretations.
August 30 & September 6
It’s a piece of Park! Part I: Casting with Heather Hart
Join us in casting impressions of found objects in plaster to create a wall-hanging sculpture. Create an impression of your visit to Socrates Sculpture Park and take home your own "piece of the park"!
Part I: Participants cast the impressions and store for drying.
Part II: Participants return to paint and decorate their artwork.
September 13
Cycle Craft with Recycle-A-Bicycle's Teaching Artist Pasqualina Azarello
Take your imagination for a ride while building site-specific sculpture from used bicycle parts.
September 20
Treasure Hunters and Gatherers with Macrae Semans
Junior artists examine everyday objects and materials and create individual mixed media sculptures. Participants are invited to bring objects - found, personal, natural or bought - to add to their project.
September 27
My Reusable Canvas Bag with Katherine Novick
Be environmentally friendly and design a tote bag with your own original print. Participants will use the Park as inspiration to create a block print that will be applied to a reusable canvas bag.
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Summer Outdoor Artmaking Workshops
For groups only and by pre-registration
Socrates Sculpture Park's free Summer Outdoor Artmaking Workshops offer diverse groups of children from neighborhood youth agencies, community groups, summer schools and day camps the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities inspired by exhibitions at Socrates Sculpture Park. Taught in the Park by exhibiting artists, the children learn fundamental and contemporary artmaking techniques.
Artists run two sessions of their Outdoor Artmaking Workshop: one from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM and the second from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Groups can sign up for a single workshop or a combination of weekly workshops.
Registration and scheduling will be on a first come, first served basis. Call Tara Sansone, Director of Education and Community Relations, to register your group: 718. 956.1819 x 10
July 7-11
Junkyard Menagerie with Rachel Owens
Transform soda cans, water bottles, wire, and other recycled materials into small animal sculptures. Participants place their small animal sculptures in the Park to be photographed in the Park's landscape.
July 14-18
A Bird's House with Martine Kaczynski
Bird lovers study the relationship between form, function, decoration and design by repurposing recycled milk and juice cartons to create a home for a feathered friend.
July 21-25
Urban Botanists with McKendree Key
Using plants and flowers in the Park as a source of inspiration, aspiring botanists experiment with "relief drawing" by carving and painting a nature scene on to drywall panel. Each panel will be made into a beautiful piece of 3-D sculpture.
July 28- August 1
Vehicle Laboratory with Free Style Arts Association
Using cardboard, colored paper, packing tape, twine and other materials, students are guided in creating their own rocket ship, jet, speed boat, pleasure cruiser, helicopter, 16 wheel moon rover, flying glider, grand-prix race car, hot-dog cart, 98’ Ford Taurus, or whatever else they can think of!
August 4-8
My Humble Abode with Rachael Champion
Students learn to build miniature dwellings out of natural materials such as straw, sand, and mud. This ancient building technique called cob construction is durable, green and extremely energy efficient. The sculptural material will provide both structural integrity and room for imagination.
August 11-15
Wind Chimes with Chakaia Booker
Using everyday objects, and some imagination, students will design and construct hanging mobiles that create sounds when placed in the wind.
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Tour Programs
Artist-led tours of Socrates Sculpture Park focus on the accessibility of contemporary sculpture while contextualizing the ideas behind viewing art in an outdoor setting. Past and present exhibiting Socrates Sculpture Park artists conduct the tours through open discussions with the visiting group.
Topics include: the history of the Park, information about the current exhibitions and creating artwork in a public space.
Available year round (pre-registration required). Please call 718.956.1819 x 10 for rates.
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Private
Workshops
Conducted in the Park or in schools, these workshops are customized to
meet the needs and interests of groups ranging from special needs to younger
children and adults. Workshop themes include basic introduction to sculpture
making and horticultural and environmental issues in art making. Many
of the workshops offered are taught by exhibiting artists and are inspired
by the current art on view.
Please call 718.956.1819 x 10 for rates.
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Boating in Hallets Cove
Sundays, May 18 - October 12 (weather permitting)
In partnership with Long Island City Community Boathouse (LICCB) and Partnerships for Parks, Socrates hosts free boating in Hallets Cove run by the LICCB. Participants are invited to kayak and canoe from Socrates Sculpture Park's beach. An adult must accompany participants under 18 years of age.
For tide schedule and more information, check out LICCB’s website, www.licboathouse.org or call 718. 228.9214 to reach the hotline.
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Coastal
Classrooms
Tuesdays - Fridays, July & August
In partnership with City Parks Foundation and the Astoria/LIC Catalyst
Project of Partnerships for Parks, Socrates Sculpture Park hosts Coastal
Classroom, a free experiential education program for schools and community
groups designed to cultivate knowledge and awareness of the East River
and the Long Island Sound, and the importance of preserving estuaries.
Located at Socrates Sculpture Park's beach at Hallets Cove, Coastal Classroom
offers one-time sessions or a series of classes to schools and groups
that serve ages 8+, GED/Job Training, or other program participants. Coastal
Classroom provides participants with a stimulating, hands-on learning
experience in a unique outdoor setting. Lesson topics include water testing
and water chemistry, wetlands restoration, pollution and environmental
impact, and the history of the Queens waterfront.
Call (212) 360-2746 for more information.
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