Great Park Planners Seek Advice from Community Cultural Leaders

JUNE 25, 2008 – IRVINE, California – Orange County Great Park planners are seeking insight from local artists and leaders of arts and cultural organizations at a special planning session Friday, June 27th from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to help refine the arts and cultural elements to be included in the Orange County Great Park. The meeting is being organized with the assistance of Arts Orange County and will take place at the Ford Motor Company/Premier Automotive Group headquarters building located at 1 Premier Place in Irvine.

Arts Orange County is the countywide non-profit arts council whose mission is to build appreciation, participation and support for the arts and arts education throughout Orange County
“Arts Orange County is proud to work with the Great Park to help create a vibrant arts and cultural future for the Great Park,” said Bonnie Hall, Arts OC Executive Director. “Making cultural activities broadly accessible to the people of Orange County is very important.”

The day’s session will include an update from Ken Smith, Master Designer, Orange County Great Park and members of the Design Studio team. The event will build on previous public input and forums with community arts and cultural leaders. The goal of the session is to help shape a vision of cultural elements of the park to be included in the Preview Park and the permanent facilities at the Great Park.

“The meeting is part of the community based planning process that is being used by the Great Park Design Studio to plan the features and programs for the Park,” said Mia Lehrer, a Principal of the Design Studio.
Arts Orange County will facilitate five breakout sessions in performing arts, visual arts, history and culture, science, nature and environment and education for adults and children.

The Orange County Great Park, which is almost twice the size of New York City’s Central Park, will be a major metropolitan park and the focal point of the redevelopment of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro. The Great Park will include extensive natural areas and open space in addition to recreational and cultural uses.

For more information, please go to www.ocgp.org.

Press Contacts:
Marsha Burgess
Manager of Communications
Orange County Great Park Corporation
(949) 724-7404