Spirit in Stone Changing Lives

In 2025 we launched Spirit in Stone. (opens in new tab)We shared the story of Shona artists at the Sanganai Sculpture Academy in rural Zimbabwe. (opens in new tab)They were working beneath the relentless African sun with little more than determination, talent and hope.

We promised that the sculptures purchased would help provide the basic facilities they desperately needed. Shade, clean water, a kitchen, toilets and essential tools.

Today, we are delighted to share the first visible result of your generosity.

Thank you for the incredible support of our visitors and collectors throughout 2025. Funds raised by The Sculpture Park have built this magnificent traditional wooden gazebo at the Sanganai Sculpture Academy.

Building a Wooden Gazebo for Shelter

What was once an open, exposed workspace is now a place where Shona(opens in new tab) artists can work. They carve, polish and create Shona sculptures(opens in new tab) in the shelter of the shade, protected from the intense heat and seasonal rains.

This beautiful structure is far more than a roof. It is a place where ideas are shared, skills are passed from one generation to the next, and a community can come together in comfort and safety. Every sculpture created beneath it carries with it the knowledge that people thousands of miles away believed in these artists and invested in their future.

Seeing this project completed is a powerful reminder that art has the ability to change lives. Every visitor who purchased a sculpture from the Spirit in Stone exhibition(opens in new tab) has played a part in making this happen.

Spirit in Stone Changing lives

Continued Support

There is still much to do. The Academy continues to work towards providing clean drinking water, improved sanitation, kitchen facilities and additional resources for the sculptors and their families. But this remarkable gazebo is a significant first milestone, and one that will benefit the community for many years to come.

From everyone at The Sculpture Park(opens in new tab), and from the artists of the Sanganai Sculpture Academy, thank you. Your support is not only preserving the extraordinary tradition of Shona sculpture – it is helping the people behind the art to thrive.