You’ve probably heard the latest by now: although the legislature approved $2 million in bonds to help start a restoration of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Governor Pawlenty line-item vetoed the project from the bill.

While the news is obviously very disappointing, we have much to be proud of. This was the first year the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board made a request for Sculpture Garden funding. It often takes multiple attempts for a project to simply make it onto the legislative agenda. The Sculpture Garden made it into the bonding bill on the first try, an affirmation of its status as a beloved Minnesota destination.

We also saw an overwhelming show of support for the Sculpture Garden’s proposed preservation. Literally thousands of Minnesotans rose to the occasion to advocate on behalf of the project.

If you were involved in any way—writing to your legislators, sending a letter to the editor, spreading the word about the project—thank you! Your help has been essential in laying a solid groundwork for future collective efforts and eventual success.

What’s up next:

Through a public-awareness campaign, which will begin unfolding over the next couple of months, we expect to grow our network substantially and ultimately secure the funding we need to restore and preserve the Sculpture Garden.

How you can help:

• Join the Action E-List.This e-mail list is exclusively devoted to information and calls to action regarding the Sculpture Garden project. You’ll likely receive just three or so e-mails per year, and only at critical junctures where action is needed.
• Become a part of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden’s Facebook group. Post your favorite pictures, share Garden stories, and keep up on the latest Sculpture Garden news here.
• Invite your friends to join both of the above.We need a broad representation of folks from around the state who have an affinity for the Sculpture Garden. A successful grassroots effort includes Minnesotans from every legislative district! Use the http://garden.walkerart.org/bonding URL to forward information to your network.

Thanks again for everyone’s efforts to help restore and preserve the Sculpture Garden. We’ll be back! As they say, it’s not over ’til it’s over.