STEWARDING SINGULAR PLACES, TOGETHER

ABEN is a national peer network for the stewardship of artist-built environments. 

We connect site stewards, share field knowledge, and build the collective capacity these irreplaceable places need — to thrive, and to honor the artists' legacies they carry.


ABEN History

In 2020 Kevin Rose, curator of the Hartman Rock Garden (Springfield OH), and Erika Nelson, Cultural Resources Director of The Garden of Eden (Lucas, Kansas) met (via zoom) with representatives of artist-built environments from around the country, to discuss forming a network of site stewards, to share information, experiences, and ideas about the preservation and operation of this genre of American art, history, culture, and landscapes.

From this happy bunch, a regular series of meetings were coordinated online, until we had the opportunity to gather in person at the newly opened JMKAC Art Preserve in Sheboygan Wisconsin. From there, we formalized our independent group of stewards, forming a steering committee, and establishing the framework for the Artist-Built Environment Network.  We formalized our organization in 2025 after consent from the assembled group of sites, incorporating in the State of Kansas (equidistant from East and West coasts, as well as North and South borders), seeking and receiving our IRS 501(c)3 status later that year.