Friends of the Mississippi River Sculpture Park

Welcome! Friends of the sculpture park and of Florence Bird, along with the Park's governing Board, are forming a Friends group. We invite you to join us.

Current Status

An interim steering committee drawn from the current governing Board of the Park will work on the articles of incorporation and by-laws to incorporate the Friends as a nonprofit. When all our ducks are in a row, we will apply to the IRS for federal tax designation as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit company. This designation will permit our donors to be eligible for tax exemption on their contributions to the extent the law allows.

In the meantime, Prairie du Chien's Community Development Alternatives, Inc. (CDA) has agreed to be fiscal sponsor for the Friends. CDA is a 501(c)(3) organization, and is also fiscal sponsor for the MRSP Board. CDA will manage the Friends account as a dedicated account separate from the MRSP Board account. This means donations to the Friends are tax-exempt c/o of CDA and may be made at any time. Join the Friends now and your dues and your donation will help offset organizational expenses.

Next Steps

During this organizational phase the MRSP Board along with CDA, will provide oversight of Friends revenue, such as dues payments, to assure those funds are disbursed solely for purposes that implement the interim mission of the Friends, and that comply with the CDA's responsibility to use such funds according to IRS regulations for 501(c)(3) nonprofits.

When the legal and nonprofit tax status of the Friends organization is established, the steering committee will call a membership meeting to select a Board of Directors, elect officers, and approve or modify the organization's mission statement.

Proposed (interim) Mission:

The Friends recognize the value of the Mississippi River Sculpture Park, which is an educational, artistic and recreational resource serving the region and the nation. The Friends treasure this Park where community events and public fine art interpret the natural and human histories and cultures that, for millennia, have shaped the lives and communities of the Upper Mississippi River Valley.

1. To support financially the development, care and maintenance of the Mississippi River Sculpture Park, especially providing for management, operations, events and fund raising activities that help the artist and the community realize their artistic vision for the Park.
2. To attract financial support, firstly to complete the Park's Phase One; and long-term to realize all four phases of the Park's development (26 sculptures) with visitor amenities, art and history learning opportunities/classes/workshops, summer events.
3. To create public awareness of the Mississippi River Sculpture Park, and its meaning as an historical interpretation of the upper Mississippi River Region through world class public art. Public Awareness Message: Touch history. Play, learn and picnic in the Park, a beautiful garden with accessible, world class art and unique learning opportunities about Upper Mississippi River culture and history.
4. To help the Park recognize and promote the benefits that its visitors enjoy.

Membership Dues: $15.00 per person per year. Membership year is the calendar year. We do not pro-rate dues at the time of enrollment. Children 17 years and younger may join for free.

Benefits of Membership

Founding members enjoy a unique benefit: annual dues will remain at $15/person for the member's lifetime. Founding membership includes all those who become a Friend in 2010.

A full year of great benefits. In addition to the critical support your annual membership gives the Mississippi River Sculpture Park, all members of the Friends enjoy a year full of great benefits including:

• Special invitations to members-only events
• Early email notification of upcoming public events
• 10% savings coupon for classes, T-shirts, mugs and events
• And, of course, a free subscription to our informative, quarterly e-newsletter, Touch History (including special issues from time to time). E-newsletter subscriptions are not limited to Friends. Touch History is filled with articles about the historical and artistic development of the confluence regional cultures. It lets you know about great events coming up at the Park and alerts you to volunteer opportunities.

Membership in our growing, enthusiastic organization gives you a chance to:

• Participate in creative art and historical activities interpreting the culture, natural resources and national significance of the Upper Mississippi and confluence region.
• Support and enjoy the arts through an outdoor sculpture park that reflects on the history of the confluence region, where you can picnic and play and find inspiration.
• Help create a remarkable community space for future generations to enjoy, where they can touch history.
• Share your love of art, history and outdoor fun with Friends.

Follow the Friends on Facebook and Tweet with us on Twitter!

Download your Friends membership application.

Gift Memberships

Memberships make great gifts! Share a full year of art, history and inspiration! Give a gift membership on special occasions--or just because!

Questions? Contact us at mississippiriversculplturepark@gmail.com.

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