Introduction

Fourteen world-class organizations located in Pasadena, Calif., have come together to produce "The Tender Land: A Festival of Art, History, Music, and Science." Running from Oct. 9, 2004 to Jan. 31, 2005, "The Tender Land" will celebrate interpretations of landscape, environment, and ecology, tracing the changing perceptions of nature and the human relationship to the earth. The festival will kick off with a citywide celebration on October 9, 2004.

Each participating organization will interpret "The Tender Land" theme independently, providing a citywide mosaic of nature's complexity. They will co-organize a festival publication, free bus tours, website, and opening day celebrations. Included in the consortium are the:

• Armory Center for the Arts
• Art Center College of Design
• California Institute of Technology
• City of Pasadena
• The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
• Norton Simon Museum
• One Colorado
• Pacific Asia Museum
• Pasadena Museum of California Art
• Pasadena Museum of History
• Pasadena Star News
• Pasadena Symphony
• Shumei Arts Council of America
• Southwest Chamber Music

A host of community partners, from individual artists to large and small organizations, will be invited to participate as well.

Taken from an opera of the same name by the American composer Aaron Copland, the "The Tender Land" title suggests the fragility of nature and the significance of human interaction with it. This festival will explore issues of environmental interaction through artistic, scientific, and historical media. Each member of the consortium will contribute a unique program through its area of study or presentation, yet all institutions will simultaneously be focused on reflecting on the greater theme of "The Tender Land." There will be numerous exhibitions, temporary public sculptures, music and theatrical performances, children's and family events, and hands-on science experiments, as well as lectures, tours, and panel discussions. The festival will begin with a Family Day on Saturday, October 9, 2004, to which the entire Southern California community will be invited.

Major funding for The Tender Land festival has been provided by the Parsons Foundation. Additional funding has been provided by the City of Pasadena.

For more information, please contact Terry LeMoncheck,Tender Land Festival Coordinator, and Executive Director, Pasadena Arts Council, at 626.793-8171. Email tlemoncheck@pasadenaartscouncil.org.