The Power of Creating Connection Through Art with Meijer Gardens CEO Charles Burke (05-10-26)

This week on iHeartRadio’s West Michigan Weekend, host Phil Tower talks with Charles Burke, President & CEO, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, about the powerful role art, culture, and nature can play in helping communities reconnect and heal during challenging times.Burke reflects on his first three years leading Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, recently recognized for the third consecutive year as the Best Sculpture Park in the United States by USA Today readers. Our conversation also explores Burke’s recent column, “What the World Needs Now: How Art, Culture, and Nature Can Help Heal Communities in Difficult Times,” and examines why shared experiences in cultural spaces matter more than ever in an increasingly divided and technology-driven world.Phil and Charles also discuss the return of world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly and the spectacular new Chihuly at Meijer Gardens exhibition, now open, and featuring immersive indoor and outdoor installations throughout the gardens.Plus, we also share a preview of the popular Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens series, the unique concert experience that has become one of West Michigan’s signature summer traditions.Learn more at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park