TOHONO CHUL PARK INC
7366 N PASEO DEL NORTE, TUCSON, AZ 857044415 www.tohonochul.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: 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 36 FULL AND PART-TIME STAFF ASSIST IN CARRYING OUT ITS PROGRAMS BY 288 ACTIVE DOCENTS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS. THESE VOLUNTEERS GAVE OVER 40,000 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 2018-2019 MORE THAN 183,000 VISITED TOHONO CHUL OR WERE REACHED VIA OFF-SITE PROGRAMS. 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, AND MOST RECENTLY, A NEW VISITOR-FRIENDLY 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 28,000 CHILDREN AND ADULTS DURING FISCAL YEAR 2018-2019 THROUGH OUR TOURS, CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, FIELD TRIPS AND APPEARANCES AT SPECIAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND AROUND THE WORLD. AMONG THESE PARTNERSHIPS ARE:- CONTINUING A 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- WITH TUCSON AUDUBON, LUCY'S WARBLER NESTING BOXES WERE PLACED ON THE GROUNDS AND OFFERED FOR SALE IN THE GREENHOUSE- AS PART OF THE ANNUAL AMERICAN PUBLIC GARDENS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE, THE DESERT PALM OASIS WAS FEATURED IN A DISPLAY AT THE U.S. BOTANIC GARDEN- FOR THE SECOND YEAR, CO-SPONSORED AND CO-HOSTED A CITYWIDE AGAVE HERITAGE FESTIVAL CELEBRATING THE CULTURAL, COMMERCIAL AND CULINARY SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AGAVE ON THE BORDER REGIONS.- OUR 5TH ANNUAL FALL CHILES AND CHOCOLATE AND DAY OF THE DEAD FESTIVAL OF LOCAL FOODS, CRAFTS AND MUSIC INCLUDED MORE HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES WITH MINIATURE SUGAR SKULL WORKSHOPS.- 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.- FOR OUR 7TH YEAR AT THE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FESTIVAL OF BOOKS ON THE UOFA CAMPUS, OUR BOOTH IN SCIENCE CITY'S WORLD OF NATURE FOCUSED ON LOCAL, NATIVE POLLINATORS AND ALLOWED VISITORS TO EXPERIENCE A FIVE FOOT, ANATOMICALLY CORRECT CACTUS BEE, THE COST OF WHICH WAS FINANCED THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH TUCSON ELECTRIC POWER, HAD GUESTS MAKING NATIVE BEE HABITATS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA'S ANNUAL INSECT FESTIVAL, AND SPONSORED OUR OWN POLLINATOR PARTY DURING NATIONAL POLLINATOR WEEK FOR THE FOURTH YEAR.- 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: SONORAN STORIES (IMAGINATIVELY NARRATIVE WORKS THAT REDEFINE THE NOTION OF STORYTELLING, ALLOWING COMPLEX PERSONAL AND UNIVERSAL THEMES TO UNFOLD BEFORE THE VIEWER'S EYES.) COPPER STATE (WORKS OF ART FILLED WITH THE COLOR AND CONTENT OF COPPER, REFLECTING THE IMPORTANCE OF COPPER TO THE HISTORY, BLIGHT, AND BEAUTY OF ARIZONA), POLLEN PATH (WORKS OF ART FOCUSED ON THE PATTERN, DECORATION AND UNPREDICTABLE MOVEMENT OF THE DESERT'S FANTASTIC POLLINATORS IN COMBINATION WITH THE MYRIAD COLORS, SHAPES, TEXTURES, AND LINES OF THE SONORAN DESERT'S FLOWERING PLANTS), AND ON THE DESERT: AN EXPLORATION OF FIBERS (TRADITIONAL AND EXPERIMENTAL WORKS OF ART MADE OF, ON, AND ABOUT ANY AND ALL THINGS FIBER WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY EXPLORING (PERHAPS, REDEFINING) THE DEFINITION(S) OF FIBER ART). THE SMALLER GALLERY SPACES HOSTED THE FIFTH INSTALLMENT IN OUR SERIES, CALL AND RESPONSE (FOUR ARIZONA ARTISTS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND DISCIPLINES WERE INVITED TO VISIT THE PERMANENT COLLECTION AND TO SELECT WORK THAT CALLED TO THEM AND THEN RESPOND TO IT THROUGH THE CONTEMPORARY FILTER OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE CREATION OF THEIR OWN ORIGINAL WORK), QUEEN OF THE NIGHT (WORKS OF ART CELEBRATING THE PENIOCEREUS GREGGII, OUR SIGNATURE PLANT AND STAR OF OUR ANNUAL BLOOM NIGHT EVENT), 10X10 (AN ANNUAL SPECIAL EXHIBITION FEATURING THE SMALLER WORKS FROM ARTISTS WHO HAVE EXHIBITED IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR), AND FOR THE THIRD YEAR, THE USE OF THE ENTRY GALLERY AS A PROJECT SPACE, OFFERING ARIZONA ARTISTS AN INTIMATE SPACE FOR COHESIVE PROJECTS (OLIVIER DUBOIS-CHERRIER (TUCSON), LAURIE MCKENNA (BISBEE), TIM MOSMAN (TUCSON), DEBRA KAY (MARICOPA)). WE ALSO CONTINUE TO PLACE ARTWORK BY LOCAL AND REGIONAL ARTISTS THROUGHOUT THE GARDENS AND THE DINING ROOMS OF THE GARDEN BISTRO RESTAURANT (ART DU JOUR) AS WELL AS FEATURE SELECTED ITEMS FROM THE PARK'S PERMANENT COLLECTION IN THE WELCOME GALLERY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ONGOING FEATURED ARTIST SERIES. THE EDUCATION CENTER HOSTED THE EXHIBITION COILS AND KATSINAS (SHOWCASES HOPI BASKET WEAVING FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION THAT EMPLOYS KATSINA IMAGERY). OUR EXPANDED RETAIL SALES AND PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMS BRING TO AUDIENCES ANOTHER ASPECT OF REGIONAL CULTURE FROM TRUNK SALES OF HAND-CRAFTED WORKS BY NATIVE AMERICANS AND ARTISANS OF GUATEMALA AND THE OAXACA REGION OF MEXICO TO FREE SUNDAY AFTERNOON CONCERTS PRESENTED BY THE TUCSON GUITAR SOCIETY AND FESTIVE HOLIDAY MUSIC AND ENTERTAINERS.

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