▁ ▁these ▁early ▁years ▁the ▁park ▁won ▁ 6 ▁operating ▁gr ants ▁and ▁ 2 ▁conservation ▁gr ants ▁from ▁the ▁Institute ▁of ▁Museum ▁and ▁Library ▁Services , ▁including ▁a ▁grant ▁to ▁create ▁an ▁inform ative ▁video ▁on ▁the ▁park ▁and ▁an ▁architect ural ▁assess ment ▁of ▁its ▁buildings . ▁The ▁park ▁also ▁received ▁ 2 2 ▁gr ants ▁from ▁the ▁National ▁End ow ment ▁for ▁the ▁Arts ▁for ▁exhib itions ▁and ▁sculpt ure ▁comm issions . ▁An ▁end ow ment ▁fund ▁was ▁created , ▁val ued ▁at ▁$ 2 ▁million ▁by ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁the ▁park ' s ▁operating ▁fund ▁increased ▁from ▁an ▁initial ▁$ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁from ▁St ▁Louis ▁County ▁to ▁over ▁one ▁million ▁from ▁combined ▁resources . ▁A ▁variety ▁of ▁national ▁and ▁international ▁sculpt ors ▁were ▁featured , ▁including ▁Terry ▁Allen , ▁Manuel ▁N eri , ▁Andy ▁Gold sw orth y , ▁Jud ith ▁She a , ▁and ▁Joy ce ▁J . ▁Scott . ▁ ▁Fif ty ▁percent ▁of ▁featured ▁artists ▁were ▁women . ▁N ier eng arten - Smith ▁also ▁created ▁the ▁Contempor ary ▁Arts ▁and ▁C raft s ▁Fair ▁for ▁education ▁re venue , ▁the ▁Winter ▁Sol st ice ▁Program ▁Fire ▁and ▁Ice , ▁the ▁Sand ▁Castle ▁Festival , ▁Safari ▁Camp ▁in ▁the ▁woods ▁for ▁children ▁and ▁parents , ▁and ▁numerous ▁other ▁festiv als ▁for ▁diverse ▁aud ien ces , ▁including ▁children . ▁A ▁volunte er ▁program ▁for ▁the ▁park ▁and ▁its ▁special ▁events ▁was ▁also ▁created . ▁ ▁During ▁the