The Art of the Outdoors with Bloomberg Connects
July 2, 2025
From Manhattan medians to English royal hunting grounds, public parks around the world continue to blur the line between landscape and art. Whether you are drawn to sculptures beneath open skies, innovative design in natural surroundings, or simply a new spot to stroll and reflect, these outdoor spaces invite you to look closer.
LOCAL
NYC Percent for Art | New York, NY
The Percent for Art Program, run by the City of New York Department of Cultural Affairs, makes art accessible and visible throughout New York City. The site-specific projects engage a variety of media–painting, mosaic, glass, textiles, sculpture, and works that are integrated into infrastructure or architecture. These projects demonstrate how civic architecture and a broad range of public spaces are enhanced as a result of art integrated into its site.
Explore audio stories on Bloomberg Connects that showcase standout works across the five boroughs—each rooted in neighborhood history and imagination. In Manhattan, take a deep dive into Alison Saar’s monument honoring Harriet Tubman, ‘Swing Low,’ which portrays her with the force of a locomotive coming on full steam.
Each season, The Fund for Park Avenue commissions public art installations along the iconic Park Avenue Malls, from 52nd to 66th Street, turning the spot into a rotating sculpture corridor. In collaboration with NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program, it invites pedestrians to engage with art in the middle of Midtown bustle.
Hear from artists and curators in The Fund for Park Avenue guide, with exclusive behind-the-scenes audio – such as Analogue Sites by Jorge Otero-Pailos. A public art exhibition on Park Avenue that explores art’s role in the preservation of Cold War-era US embassies, spotlighting their historical importance as places of cultural exchange.
Nestled in New Canaan, Connecticut, Grace Farms is a cultural and humanitarian center designed to blend seamlessly into its 80-acre landscape. Artworks are integrated throughout the site—from installations in open meadows to performances under its sinuous River building. The site enhances contemplation, connection, and creative expression across disciplines.
Visitors can hear directly from artists and collaborators who shape the Grace Farms experience. Explore the Permanent Artworks, curated by Yuko Hasegawa that express five core initiatives: nature, arts, justice, community, and faith. Watch the story behind the Double Glass River created by Teresita Fernández, which resembles an undulating galaxy.
Charleston Parks Conservancy | Charleston, SC
Charleston Parks Conservancy is a nonprofit that enhances public parks across Charleston, South Carolina, combining horticulture with community-driven public art. The Conservancy now stewards 24 parks across the city. From community gardens to temporary art installations, it cultivates beauty and belonging. Discover how art and gardening come together across Charleston’s parks, and learn more about the Magnolia Community Garden, the first edible park space built in 2014. It is home to 60 leased beds, which are available for neighbors to grow food for their households.
Visitors can hear directly from artists and collaborators who shape the Grace Farms experience. Explore the Permanent Artworks, curated by Yuko Hasegawa that express five core initiatives: nature, arts, justice, community, and faith. Watch the story behind the Double Glass River created by Teresita Fernández, which resembles an undulating galaxy.
INTERNATIONAL
Nonsuch Park | Sutton, UK
Once a royal deer park, Nonsuch Park, is now a public green space in Surrey, England. With a rich heritage linked to Henry VIII’s now-vanished Nonsuch Palace, the park offers a historic setting for contemporary community gatherings and nature-based activities. Take a walking tour of the Formal Gardens, which spotlight Environmental Sustainability and Nonsuch Wildlife, including an onsite nursery garden that supports the gradual introduction of perennial planting to boost biodiversity.
A hidden gem near the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, Musée Zadkine preserves the home and studio of sculptor Ossip Zadkine. The intimate garden is dotted with his expressive works in wood and bronze, offering a tranquil, immersive encounter with sculpture rooted in both the personal and the poetic. Explore the 11 stops of The Essential Works tour which features audio commentary on incredible sculptures like the Heroic Head and The Golden Bird.
Art in public parks reminds us that creativity doesn’t need walls. It thrives in open spaces, shared paths, and quiet corners. With the Bloomberg Connects app, you can deepen your experience of these places through curated audio and video content that brings their stories to life. It’s a way to pause, listen, and see the world around you with a new perspective, wherever you are.
Open House New York is supported by Bloomberg Connects, a free mobile app featuring guides to hundreds of museums, galleries, sculpture parks, gardens, and cultural spaces.
