Tohono Chul Park Inc

TO ENRICH PEOPLE'S LIVES BY CONNECTING THEM WITH THE WONDERS OF NATURE, ART AND CULTURE IN THE SONORAN DESERT REGION AND INSPIRING WISE STEWARDSHIP OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

HELPING PEOPLE LEARN TO LIVE WITH THEIR DESERT HOME IS THE OVERREACHING PURPOSE OF TOHONO CHUL. A 49-ACRE DESERT PARK LOCATED IN NORTHWEST TUCSON, TOHONO CHUL DESCRIBES ITSELF AS THE SOUTHWEST'S CENTER WHERE NATURE, ART, AND CULTURE CONNECT. THE INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TAKEN HERE TO ACHIEVE OUR PURPOSE IS REFLECTIVE OF THE RICHNESS OF THIS REGION'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURES. IN TEACHING PEOPLE ABOUT THE INTERCONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE, WE HOPE TO INCREASE THEIR APPRECIATION OF BOTH, SO THAT THEY TOO CAN BECOME STEWARDS OF OUR PRECIOUS DESERT REGION.TOHONO CHUL'S 32 FULL AND PART-TIME STAFF ASSIST IN CARRYING OUT ITS PROGRAMS BY 319 ACTIVE DOCENTS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS. DURING A NORMAL YEAR, THESE VOLUNTEERS GIVE CLOSE TO 30,000 HOURS THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR. THEY WORK IN ALL ASPECTS, FROM CONDUCTING TOURS, TO MAINTAINING GARDENS, TO ASSISTING VISITORS IN THE GREENHOUSE AND MUSEUM SHOPS, TO ANSWERING PHONES. NATURAL HISTORY PROGRAM:DURING FISCAL YEAR 2021, TOHONO CHUL WELCOMED 29,501 VISITORS, OFF-SITE AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS WERE PUT ON HOLD. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT - EDUCATION AND EXHIBITIONS PUT TOGETHER THE WEBSITE DRIVEN @HOME PROJECT - WEEKLY THEMED CONTENT REFLECTING TOHONO CHUL'S MISSION AVAILABLE ON THE TOHONO CHUL WEBSITE AND ADVERTISED THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. THE PROJECT KEPT MEMBERS CONNECTED TO TOHONO CHUL AND THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA ALGORITHMS CONNECTED US TO A WIDER AUDIENCE. TOHONO CHUL HOSTED ITS FIRST ON-LINE PLANT SALE AND WAS ABLE TO OPEN TO VISITORS IN THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST 2020 WITH A MONSOON MADNESS PLANT SALE. THE PARK WAS THEN OPEN FOR MEMBERS TO WALK THE GARDENS DURING THE MORNING HOURS. OCTOBER 2020 SAW THE PARK OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITH REGULAR HOURS. THE EXHIBIT HOUSE AND RETAIL SHOPS WELCOMED A LIMITED CAPACITY OF VISITORS IN CONCERT WITH PIMA COUNTY HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CONTINUED THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. FIFTEEN PUBLIC PROGRAMS/WORKSHOPS WERE OFFERED ONLINE AND THEN GRADUALLY TO IN-PERSON EXPERIENCES TOWARD THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.37.5 OF THE SITE'S 49 ACRES HAVE BEEN LEFT AS UNDISTURBED SONORAN DESERT. NATURE TRAILS WIND THROUGH THESE AREAS ALLOWING THE VISITOR A GENTLE EXPERIENCE WITH WHAT IS TO MANY FOREIGN SURROUNDINGS, ENJOY BIRD WATCHING, OR ENCOUNTER ONE OF THE PARK'S OTHER MANY RESIDENTS (LIZARDS, SNAKES, JAVELINA, RABBITS - COTTONTAIL AND JACK, BOBCAT, AND FOX TO NAME A FEW). PART OF THE "DISTURBED" AREAS ARE DEVOTED TO A SERIES OF GARDENS AND OUTDOOR DISPLAYS, SUCH AS THE DEMONSTRATION GARDENS, ETHNOBOTANICAL GARDEN, GARDEN FOR CHILDREN, SPANISH COLONIAL GARDEN, CACTUS/SUCCULENT AND PINCUSHION RAMADAS, GEOLOGY WALL, SAGUARO DISCOVERY TRAIL, SIN AGUA GARDEN, DESERT PALM OASIS, CHANGING WILDFLOWER DISPLAYS, ENTRY PATH WINDING PAST A SUCCULENT GARDEN AND MESQUITE BOSQUE, AS WELL AS A DESIGNATED MONARCH WAY STATION/BUTTERFLY GARDEN.AS PART OF ITS EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF NATIVE PLANTS (AND OTHER ARID-ADAPTED, LOW-WATER USE PLANTS) IN LANDSCAPING, TOHONO CHUL CONDUCTS A PROGRAM TO PROPAGATE HARD-TO-FIND NATIVE PLANT SPECIES. CURRENTLY, 200 SPECIES ARE UNDER PROPAGATION. OF THESE,190 SPECIES ARE FOR SALE AT THE RETAIL GREENHOUSE; 70 OF WHICH ARE EXCLUSIVE TO TOHONO CHUL. THE GOAL IS TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THESE NATIVE PLANTS, THEREBY HELPING TO CREATE A DEMAND FOR THEM THAT WILL INTEREST COMMERCIAL GROWERS IN PUTTING THESE PLANTS INTO PRODUCTION. THIS GOAL IS FURTHER SUPPORTED BY OUR BI-ANNUAL PLANT SALES IN SPRING AND FALL, AND A SPECIAL SUMMER MONSOON MADNESS EVENT THAT PUTS THE FOCUS ON THE MANY LOCAL SPECIALTY GROWERS OF SPECIMEN AND HARD-TO-FIND DESERT ADAPTED PLANTS. ON THE NIGHT OF THE BLOOM OF OUR COLLECTION OF PENIOCEREUS GREGGII THE GROUNDS REMAIN OPEN PAST MIDNIGHT SO VISITORS CAN EXPERIENCE THE SPLENDOR AND FRAGRANCE OF THESE UNASSUMING CACTI.COMMUNITY, NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS ENABLE US TO FOSTER BOTH OUR ARTS & CULTURE AND NATURAL HISTORY PROGRAMS AND HELPED US REACH OVER 20,000 CHILDREN AND ADULTS DURING NORMAL YEARS. OUR TOURS, CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, FIELD TRIPS AND APPEARANCES AT SPECIAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND AROUND THE WORLD. AMONG THESE PARTNERSHIPS ARE:- THE 2018 PARTNERSHIP WITH CROSS MIDDLE SCHOOL'S AFTER-SCHOOL SCIENCE PROGRAM, DOCENT OUTREACH EXTENDED TO KINDERGARTENERS AT RICHARDSON ELEMENTARY AND THE STUDY OF THE EDIBLE AND USEFUL PLANTS OF THE DESERT. THE PROJECT WAS COMPLETED IN FY2020 AND WILL BE A MODEL FOR FUTURE PROGRAMMING.- WITH TUCSON AUDUBON, LUCY'S WARBLER NESTING BOXES WERE PLACED ON THE GROUNDS AND OFFERED FOR SALE IN THE GREENHOUSE- PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELLNESS, WE CONTINUE TO OFFER A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS IN MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION ALONG WITH ON-SITE CLASSES IN TAI CHI AND YOGA.- CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN BOTH NEA'S BLUE STAR MUSEUMS PROGRAM (OFFERS FREE ADMISSION TO ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER) AND ACT ONE'S CULTURE PASS PROGRAM (PROVIDING LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME PIMA COUNTY LIBRARY USERS WITH FREE ADMISSION FOR TWO). IN FY19 WE ADDED ARTS-RELATED TOURS FOR LOCAL STUDENTS SPONSORED BY THE ACT ONE PROGRAM. - A DECADE PLUS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PIMA COUNTY LIBRARIES FOR WHOM WE OFFER SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN WITH PUPPET SHOWS AND MAKE-AND-TAKE ACTIVITIES, AS WELL AS YEAR-ROUND LIFELONG LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULTS.- ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY OUTREACH CONTINUES WITH PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COUNTY'S UDALL PARKS IN FOCUS AND THEIR PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSES FOR DISADVANTAGED YOUTH (BIG BROTHERS/BIG SISTERS).

ARTS AND CULTURE PROGRAM: TOHONO CHUL'S ART AND CULTURAL OFFERINGS CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHWEST WITH AN EYE TO THE INTERACTIONS OF THESE CULTURES WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT. TOHONO CHUL OFFERS YEAR-ROUND CHANGING CULTURAL AND ART EXHIBITS, REGIONAL MUSIC, YEAR-ROUND LECTURE SERIES, WORKSHOPS, AND TRAVEL ED-VENTURES, AS WELL AS THREE MUSEUM SHOPS WHICH ENABLE THE VISITOR TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OR TAKE HOME WITH THEM THINGS THEY HAVE SEEN WHILE VISITING. AMONG THE CHANGING CULTURAL/ART EXHIBITS IN OUR MAIN GALLERY THIS PAST YEAR WERE: ON THE DESERT: THE DISCOVERY AND INVENTION OF COLOR (MOVED BEYOND THE GRAYSCALE TO SET THE COLOR WHEEL SPINNING ACROSS THE DESERT; PICKING UP, ABSORBING, AND REFLECTING EVERY COLOR IMAGINABLE, DISCOVERING NEW COLOR COMBINATIONS, AND INVENTING NEW THEORIES ON HOW COLOR WORKS IN THE DESERT SOUTHWEST.)ENCOMPASSING ARIZONA (A ROTATING, REVOLVING, AND EVOLVING INVITATIONAL EXHIBITION THAT PRESENTS A WIDE VARIETY OF ARTWORKS AND A BROAD RANGE DISCIPLINES AND PROCESSES FROM A DIVERSE ROSTER OF ARIZONA ARTISTS. FEATURING ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING ARTISTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE.) THE SMALLER ENTRY AND WELCOME GALLERIES HOSTED A VARIETY OF EXHIBITIONS: PAUL ANDERS-STOUT AND NICHOLAS BERNARD (INTENSE COLOR ON AND THROUGH HYPNOTIC SCULPTURAL FORMS AND VESSELS; GLASS WORKS BLOWN AND SHAPED BY TUCSON BASED ANDERS-STOUT AND FIRED CERAMIC WORKS THROWN AND GLAZED BY SCOTTSDALE BASED BERNARD.)DAVID WINDSOR AND JANET WINDSOR: SLICES OF SONORA (THE INNER BEAUTY OF DESERT WOODS IN TURNED WOOD AND FABRIC ABSTRACTIONS FROM TUCSON THE TUCSON BASED WINDSOR FAMILY.)THE COLLECTIONS CORNER (OFFERED TOHONO CHUL SOME SUPPORT DURING THE COVID-19 CLOSURE AND BEYOND. SELECT PIECES FROM FIVE COLLECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GIFTED AND NOT ACCESSIONED INTO THE PERMANENT COLLECTION ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR ACQUISITION, WITH 100% OF EACH SALE GOING TO FUND TOHONO CHUL PROGRAMS.)IDEA AND EXECUTION (HONORED SEVEN ARIZONA ARTISTS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED MIGHTILY TO PROJECTS AT TOHONO CHUL OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS AND WHO WERE SELECTED TO ARIZONA BIENNIAL 2020 EXHIBITION AT THE TUCSON MUSEUM OF ART.)PAPERWORKS: FORMING THE EFFECT, AFFECTING THE FORM (CAN BE SEEN AS A RESPONSE TO 2020 BEING THE SONORAN DESERT'S DRIEST YEAR ON RECORD WITH EACH ARTIST REFLECTING ON THE AFFECTING EFFECTS OF DROUGHT AND DELUGE. A COLLECTION OF WORKS BY A GROUP OF NINE THOUGHTFUL AND SENSITIVE ARTISTS POOLING THEIR TALENTS IN ADMIRATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD AND ITS RESILIENT PERSEVERANCE IN ANY SEASON.)EACH EXHIBITION WAS ALSO FEATURED ON THE TOHONO CHUL WEBSITE AS A VIRTUAL EXHIBITIONS.SEASON OF THE SAGUARO AND PERMANENT COLLECTION: NEW PERSPECTIVES BEING AVAILABLE ONLY AS A VIRTUAL COMPONENT.WITH THE COVID-19 CLOSURE IN MARCH 2020 THE EXHIBITS, RETAIL, AND MARKETING DEPTS. CREATED VIRTUAL EXHIBITIONS AND AN ONLINE MARKETPLACE TO FACILITATE THE SALE OF ARTWORK, OBJECT, AND RETAIL GOODS.