Are you passionate about public art and looking for a unique way to contribute to Kansas City’s artistic heritage? The City of Fountains Foundation is excited to offer a hands-on Sculpture Cleaning and Maintenance Class, providing the perfect opportunity to engage with our city’s sculptures while learning essential skills in art conservation.
Recently, a group of enthusiastic students from Shawnee Mission East attended our training, led by Paul Benson, a retired conservator from the Nelson-Atkins Museum. With expert guidance, they learned how to properly measure and assess the condition of sculptures, then documented their findings for inclusion in the Smithsonian’s American Art On-Line database. After just a few hours, these volunteers were ready to survey over 200 public sculptures throughout the Kansas City metro area.
But we’re just getting started! More training sessions are on the way, and we’re looking for volunteers who are passionate about art and preservation.
What You’ll Learn:
- How to measure sculptures correctly and document their condition
- The proper techniques to assess and maintain public sculptures
- How to fill out a two-page survey that will be sent to the Smithsonian, contributing to the preservation of American public art
This hands-on class is designed for anyone with a general interest in art—no prior experience required! The training typically takes about an hour, and all materials will be provided. After completing the class, volunteers can select from a variety of sculptures throughout the city to survey and photograph, knowing their efforts will have a lasting impact.
Upcoming Training Sessions
Our next training session will be held at locations such as the Nelson-Atkins Museum and Johnson County Community College, both of which have a wide variety of sculptures in different sizes, materials, and conditions. These dynamic settings provide a great learning environment for volunteers to practice their skills.
How to Get Involved
Interested in joining our next session? Contact us to sign up and reserve your spot! If you’re unable to make the upcoming session but would still love to participate in future training, let us know. We plan to continue hosting these classes throughout the year, and we’d love to have you on board to help preserve Kansas City’s rich artistic legacy.
By joining this initiative, you’ll be part of something bigger than just Kansas City—your work will be recorded in the Smithsonian’s American Art On-Line database, allowing people across the globe to appreciate and learn from our city’s unique collection of sculptures.
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