2010 Summer Programs
Sculpture workshops for kids to be held at the Essex Art Center this Summer. A unique opportunity for young artists to explore a medium typically reserved for adults. Students will take home multiple steel pieces that can last forever.
Family Days at the Griffis Sculpture Park will take place on multiple Saturdays throughout the summer season. Tours of the Park, steel sculpture project for the whole family and picnic on our beautiful stage. An amazing experience for the whole family.
More information and dates coming soon.
E-mail sfonzi.griffispark@gmail.com to be the first to find out and reserve your place.
2010 Moonlight Snowshoe Party
Feb. 20, 2010
5-8 pm
Griffis Sculpture Park
Music by The Mighty No Stars Blues Band, Snowshoes provided by The City Garage, Chili by Balloons Restaurant
$50 per person to benefit the Arts in Education Programming run by the Ashford Hollow Foundation
982-8776 for reservations
Benefit Concert was a Huge Success
The Ashford
Hollow Foundation, which owns and operates Griffis Sculpture Park and the Essex
Arts Center, held a fundraiser Saturday that featured the 10,000 Maniacs. The
fundraiser, held at the Essex Arts Center, was organized to offset the cost of
damages the sculpture park incurred during the devastating rainstorms of the
past summer. The concert was a resounding success with more than 290 attendees.
The 10,000 Maniacs were a welcome friend of the Griffis Sculpture Park. The
band played a concert at the park in 1994, which drew more than 5,000 people.
The event last Saturday gave a unique experience to concert goers, with the
band playing inside the Griffis Studio for Youth, an active arts in education
metal studio. Other performers included A PotterÃ?Â?¢??s Field and Red Widow. The
Oishi Foundation also graciously matched the proceeds raised to help ease the
$45, 000 cost of clean up the storms caused.
10,000 Maniacs return to help storm-ravaged Griffis Sculpture Park
August storms afflicted major damage to the nations largest outdoor sculpture park
10,000 Maniacs played a huge fundraising concert at Park in 1991
10,000 Maniacs
Also: A Potters Field and Red Widow
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Doors at 7:00 p.m. Music at 7:30 p.m.
Benefit Concert for the Griffis Sculpture Park
Griffis Studios @ Essex Art Center
30 Essex Street
Buffalo, NY 14213
$40 ticket (includes beer & wine).
The August 2009 storms that
ravaged the Gowanda and Silver Creek areas also afflicted major damaged
to one of the nations most unique arts venues Griffis Sculpture Park
in Ashford Hollow, NY. The park suffered over $50,000 in damage with
their driveway and many trails completely washed out. Since
the August storms, many groups, businesses, and individuals have
stepped in to help, including alternative rockers 10,000 Maniacs who
will be headlining a benefit concert for the park on Saturday, October
24, 2009 at the Essex Arts Center at 30 Essex Street, Buffalo, NY
14213.
Also appearing on the bill is
A Potter's Field and Red Widow - in what will be a fun, funky warehouse
party occuring in two studios inside the Essex Arts Center. Only 250
tickets will be sold.
Tickets for this event are
$40 presale and $45 at the door. They can be purchased at Terrapin
Station, 1172 Hertel Avenue, Urban Threads, 736 Elmwood Ave, and Queen
City Gallery, inside the Market Arcade building at 617 Main Street -
downtown Buffalo. Phone orders can be made by calling the Ashford
Hollow Foundation office at (716) 982-8776 during normal business hours.
The Griffis Sculpture Park is
owned and operated by the Ashford Hollow Foundation. The organization
exists on grants and donations, thus the need for the benefit. The
organization provides arts in education programming for over 4,000 WNY
students each year. The Griffis Sculpture Park is considered to be the
United States first and largest sculpture park, with over 250
sculptures located in the fields, ponds, and forests of the park.
10,000 Maniacs played an
unforgettable benefit concert for the Griffis Sculpture Park in 1991,
when over 5,000 music fans flocked Cattaraugus County park created by
Larry Griffis, Jr. The Jamestown-based group became alternative rock
heroes in the 1980s and 1990s with album sales that topped the 9
million mark. The group appeared on many national television shows and
had numerous national and international tours. The 10,000 Maniacs are:
Jerry Augustiniak, Dennis Drew, Jeff Erickson, Steve Gustafson, and
Mary Ramsey. Founding member John Lombardo will be joining the band for
this show.
The flood that
devastated Gowanda and Silver Creek had a catastrophic effect on
Griffis Sculpture Park. More than $50,000 worth of damage was done to
the park due to the flood damage. The Park suffered major injury to its trails and roads. The main entrance road was removed making it impassable for vehicles to enter. The entrance trail was turned into a river removing any entrance for the visitors. The trail to the cabins where the artist in residence program takes place was rutted and removed making it nearly impassable. Most of the major trails suffered major damage to the point where they were a danger to hike on. Major sections were missing and ruts four feet deep were carved in the middle of the trails. The road to the Gatehouse was completely removed and no vehicles could reach the Gatehouse. Programming vehicles filled with children, emergency vehicles and maintenance vehicles could not enter or exit.
The community did everything they could to reopen the Park. Volunteers
poured out with pick axes shovels and earth moving equipment. Union
Concrete and Gary Hill made a monumental effort to get us back on our
feet. Without their support the Park would still be in shambles. The Park is in debt due to the storm and much work needs to be done if you love the Park we need your support now.