Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Thank you to our incredible Society members for making our Annual Dinner a memorable evening! 🌼 Your generous contributions and ongoing support are vital to the growth of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Together, we ensure that art, culture and nature continue to flourish for generations to come—right here in West Michigan. #meijergardens

We're thrilled to announce record-breaking attendance at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park! 🎉 Over 785,250 visitors explored the beauty of art, culture, and nature during our 2024 fiscal year, making it the highest in our nearly 30-year history! Thank you for making us one of Michigan's most-visited cultural destinations. And speaking of growth🌱, we're thrilled to welcome eight new members to our Board of Directors: • Rosalynn Bliss - Mayor, City of Grand Rapids • Nicole Dandridge - CEO, VA Enterprises • Terri Gaskey - SVP of Family & Talent Services, RDV Corporation • Mark Gurney - Founding Chair/CEO, Tetra Therapeutics (retired) • Joe Jones - President/CEO, The Hekima Group • Randy Thelen - President/CEO, The Right Place • Al Vanderberg - County Administrator/Controller, Kent County • Richard Winn - President, AHC Hospitality We're deeply grateful to our visitors, staff, and board members for making 2024 a year to remember. Here's to many more years of inspiration and wonder. #meijergardens

Attention artists: You could become part of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s permanent collection! We’re accepting submissions for the annual Ray and Nancy Loeschner Art Competition—open to artists working in a two-dimensional format, including photography, inspired by the grounds and collections of Meijer Gardens. The objective is to collect high-quality work celebrating the beauty and inspiration the institution provides. Submission deadline: 11:59 pm, December 1, 2024. To learn more and enter your work, please visit: https://lnkd.in/gA3hfn-U - Sara Kani. Ephemeral, 2023. Photograph, 15 x 10. Winner of the 2023 Ray and Nancy Loeschner Art Competition Photography Award. Marella Morris. Reverence, 2023. Oil on gessoed hardboard, 24 x 44. Winner of the 2023 Ray and Nancy Loeschner Art Competition Two-Dimensional Art Award

✨ Where your holiday spirit comes to light. ✨ This all-new illuminating event, ENLIGHTEN, is a collaboration of the nation's top event producers and lighting artists—a breathtaking presentation featuring choreographed light and sound, interactive experiences, and breathtaking displays that run the gamut from stunning to whimsical! ENLIGHTEN runs on select dates November 27 through January 4. 🎟️ Timed tickets are available now: https://lnkd.in/gUeH6R6p

Join us for ✨ Sparkle! presented by Greenleaf Trust ✨—our signature winter fundraiser—making a radiant return Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 6 pm! This enchanting evening promises a scrumptious strolling dinner paired with decadent signature drinks from our award-winning Culinary Arts & Events team, topped off by a festive soundtrack of live entertainment. All are welcome to Sparkle! with us as we kick off the holiday season. Seats are limited: Secure your spot soon at https://lnkd.in/gZnq7AR7 📸 Photography by Jessica Harris of Wildcrest Studio.

The adventurous approach of David Smith (1906-1965) to three-dimensional form has permanently expanded the vocabulary and range of sculptural practice. The first American artist to make welded metal sculptures and incorporate industrial means in his work, Smith was equally innovative in his enlistment of nature as material and setting. View David Smith: The Nature of Sculpture now through March 2, 2025. Learn more by visiting https://lnkd.in/gqdEEmmZ

Earlier today, we attended the Grand Valley State University Fall Career & Internship Fair! This was an excellent opportunity for GVSU students and alumni to connect with employers seeking to fill full-time, part-time, and internship positions. #meijergardens #gvsu

Calling all educators! ✏️ Join us for our free educator night and expo on Thursday, October 24, from 5–7:30 pm. We welcome K–12 teachers to explore our field trip offerings in VIP style while getting a preview of our new offerings for the 2024–2025 school year. Organizations Represented Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Grand Rapids Art Museum Grand Rapids Children's Museum The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum Grand Rapids Public Museum Grand Rapids Symphony John Ball Zoo Register at: https://lnkd.in/g8-GfmF5

Intrested in learning about David Smith's influence on outdoor sculpture? Drop into our Sculpture Galleries this Wednesday, October 9, from 2–3 pm. Join Suzanne Ramljak, exhibition curator and Vice President of Collections & Curatorial Affairs, and Amber Oudsema, Curator of Arts Education, on a walk to explore the lasting legacy of famed Modernist master David Smith. Discover his influence on sculpture parks as we know them and the many successful artists who followed in Smith’s creative footsteps. Pictured is "Primo Piano II." Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/gfibkwJJ

Calling all educators! ✏️ Join us for our free educator night and expo on Thursday, October 24, from 5–7:30 pm. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres and drinks as you stroll through our iconic halls and grounds for a sneak preview of our new offerings for the 2024–2025 school year. Take a tram ride, enjoy exclusive offers available to attendees, and get a sampling of other area field trip offerings through participating partners in our Kent County Corner. Register at: https://lnkd.in/g8-GfmF5