New York, NY:  Each spring 60,000 tulips bloom along the Park Avenue malls thanks to the efforts of The Fund for Park Avenue (FfPA). 

The Fund’s mission is to plant, light and maintain the trees and flowers on the Park Avenue malls. In fact, the FfPA oversees two of the City's most successful privately financed beautification programs - The Park Avenue Malls Planting Project and the Park Avenue Tree Lighting.  And, it operates on a budget that is totally dependent upon annual contributions from the community.

This year the tulips are Darwin hybrid, Golden Oxford.  In 2010, the white (Ivory Floradale) tulip symbolized The Fund’s 30^th anniversary and in 2009, the orange (Blushing Apeldoorn) tulip was selected in honor of the 400^th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s arrival in New York harbor. 

Also on the malls this spring will be sculptures by Venezuelan artist, Rafael Barrios. Ten pieces will be exhibited between 51^st and 68^th Streets from early March through June.  Barrios’ pieces play with perception and geometry and look different depending upon the viewer’s angle.  

Park Avenue is a unique venue in New York City Department of Parks & Recreation’s citywide Public ArtsProgram.  The Fund’s Sculpture Advisory Committee works closely with the Parks Department to present a variety of high quality exhibitions on Park Avenue.  

While The Fund has a large and loyal donor base, there are still many New Yorkers who are unaware that all the work of the FfPA is privately funded.  

 

For more information, visit:

www.fundforparkavenue.org