Grace Farms Foundation

We are thrilled to announce tickets are now available for our 9th anniversary celebration, with a moving and site-responsive program by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, on Monday, October 21, 2024. Uniquely groundbreaking and exhilarating to watch and hear, the London Philharmonic Orchestra has been celebrated as one of the world's great orchestras since Sir Thomas Beecham founded it in 1932. Our 9th Anniversary promises to be an awe-inspiring evening with views of the picturesque autumnal foliage surrounding the glass-enclosed Sanctuary. A chamber of 29 select musicians from the Orchestra, conducted by LPO 2023/24 Fellow Conductor, Luis Castillo-Briceño, will present a captivating program that illustrates our theme Architecture Moves Us, and illuminates the purpose of our Foundation. Following the performance, we invite you to join us for a celebratory cocktail reception as we toast to nine incredible years of culture, collaboration and new outcomes at Grace Farms. For more information on attending our 9th Anniversary Benefit, which supports the ongoing preservation and sustainability of Grace Farms, please visit: https://lnkd.in/eSMSPdaJ We look forward to celebrating with you on this extraordinary evening!

Ahead of #WorldConservationDay on Sunday, July 28th, we're sharing some insights from our Director of Horticulture, Kimberly Kelly, on small ways we can all make a big difference to help protect our natural environment. Take a read below! Ask yourself if you can try going one day without plastics or if you really need to spray your lawn with herbicides. Lessening on our use of chemicals, reliance on single use plastics, and taking time to learn about your local ecosystem are great ways to start. Fostering a respect and appreciation for nature is a critical part of our work and as Kim underscores, our approach to caring for our surrounding natural environment is based on the "3 Rs" - restorative, regenerative and resilient. "Grace Farms is home to many incredibly rich and diverse ecosystems, from wetlands and uplands to meadows and woodlands. Our role is to listen the landscape, work with it, and provide a restful yet inspiring space for guests to connect with nature. Our aim to inspire stewardship of nature at a regional, national and global scale." - Kim Kelly. Take a look at our Instagram Stories (@gracefarmsct) for more insights from Kim on the benefits of restoring and protecting the environment and to learn more opportunities to learn more about conservation and nature at Grace Farms, including our August Nature's Classroom about the ways we can help butterflies and moths flourish: https://bit.ly/4dclBON Photos: 1. A view of Grace Farms from the surrounding meadows. By Melani Lust. 2. A close-up of the wildflowers and native grass that surrounds Grace Farms. By Melani Lust. 3. Wildflowers and trees along a walking trail at Grace Farms. By Melani Lust. 4. A butterfly perched in the grass at Grace Farms. By Melani Lust. 5. Native Grass in full bloom at Grace Farms in the foreground with the River building in the background. By Vanessa Van Ryzin.

Another amazing shout out from our friends at Forbes who have included us in a round up of up and coming Brands that are 'Do Good and Taste Right'! Love the title Building Community Over A Cup Of Coffee. Thank you Sofia Perez! https://lnkd.in/enM6V8hS

Thank you to New England Perspective - CT and FOX 61 for this wonderful feature on Grace Farms that includes an insightful interview with our Founding Creative Director, Chelsea Thatcher. Watch it now! https://lnkd.in/gwX3Whpr

The three-month countdown to our 9th Anniversary Benefit is officially underway! On Monday, October 21st, we'll be celebrating with an extraordinary evening performance by the renowned London Philharmonic Orchestra in the glass-enclosed Sanctuary, surrounded by views of the stunning autumnal foliage. Taking to the Sanctuary stage will be a 31-musician chamber ensemble of musicians from the Orchestra, conducted by the brilliant LPO 2023/24 Fellow Conductor, Luis Castillo-Briceño. They will present a stirring program that incorporates our theme, Architecture Moves Us, and meaningfully illuminates our Foundation's purpose. After the performance, we invite you to enjoy a cocktail reception and toast to nine magnificent years of culture, connection, collaboration, and significant new outcomes at Grace Farms! Learn more about this year's Benefit and how to purchase a ticket: https://lnkd.in/eSMSPdaJ

What an incredible way to celebrate the summer this past weekend! Thank you to Rick Snell for an absolutely unforgettable Bluegrass concert! Following an introduction by our Music Director, Marcus G. Miller, Rick Snell took to the Sanctuary stage to showcase his amazing musical prowess as New York City's premier Bluegrass guitarist and vocalist, accompanied by the talented Erik Alvar on bass, Chris Luquette on mandolin, and Bobby Hawk on fiddle. Together, they performed an out-of-this-world set filled with a rousing mix of bluegrass, folk and country that had the audience dancing, cheering, and completely immersed in the energetic music coming from the stage. In addition to the music, Marcus and Rick sat down for a fun and engaging mid-performance conversation where Rick spoke candidly about his musical inspirations and journey, the nuances of the Bluegrass genre, and more. Then it was back to the stage for even more lively music, resulting in a standing ovation! Excitingly, an encore even followed as the late afternoon sunlight poured into the Sanctuary. Thank you for all who attended and to Rick, Erik, Chris, and Bobby for a completely riveting musical performance! Relive the magic of this incredible performance and listen to our “Concerts at Grace Farms” Spotify playlist, curated and updated by Marcus (featuring the artists and styles who’ve we’ve welcomed) to dive into the sounds of Bluegrass: https://lnkd.in/g4qmfegE. All photos by Jacek Dolata

We sat down with Emily Scaros Altman, our Director of Arts Operations, Publications and Exhibits, to discuss Grace Farms’ first long-term Design for Freedom by Grace Farms exhibit With Every Fiber, which aims to inspire people to understand and care about the materials that make up the built world around us. Read the interview: https://lnkd.in/eRciuBnX Pictured: Emily Altman, our first Director of Arts Operations, Publications and Exhibits. Photo by Jacek Dolata.

Our work is collaborative. We invite public and private sectors to Grace Farms to consider what’s possible through diverse perspectives. The River building was intentionally designed within nature to create a reflective and restorative space to consider innovative ways to advance the common good. Our experts across disciplines, in collaboration with our local and global partners, create unprecedented outcomes Visit gracefarms.org to learn more about Grace Farms, discover our thought-provoking programs and ongoing mission to pursue a more peaceful world. Photo: Visitors attend a Grace Farms Tour. By Jacek Dolata.

"What is so surprising, fascinating, and under-realized, is the enormous power of architecture to drive new outcomes and even humanitarian outcomes." - Sharon Prince, CEO and Founder of Grace Farms. In April of this year, Sharon gave an impactful talk to a room full of budding entrepreneurs, taking part in the STVP - the Stanford Engineering Entrepreneurship Center's Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Series: https://lnkd.in/emJvFpBB One of the most poignant parts of the talk, throughout which Sharon shared her journey to becoming the innovative and inspirational entrepreneur she is today, was hearing her share the often overlooked ability of architecture to drive change, express values, and speak to all those who interact with it. A hallmark of our work and embedded in our site's SANAA-designed River building, is the belief that space communicates. With its ethical and sustainable design, it communicates our humanitarian mission to create a more ethical future through the Design for Freedom by Grace Farms movement. Its seamless lines and shape harmonize with nature, its glass-enclosed volumes welcome all to enjoy a hopeful connection to the environment and with each other. It breaks down barriers. Watch Sharon ask the future leaders of tomorrow to consider the impactful question – "what does space communicate?" inviting them to consider all of the possibilities and the ability they have to create new meaningful outcomes and use architecture as a means for good.

Summer is one of the most amazing times of year to discover the beauty of Grace Farms. The open meadows, woods, vital wetlands, and ponds that surround the River building are spectacular to view and are thriving with native wildlife and essential pollinators. All year-round, we are dedicated to protecting and facilitating the stewardship of the natural environment through restoration, exploration, and preservation. Visitors are encouraged to experience the awe and wonder of nature and we are pleased to offer a variety of exploratory opportunities and multi-generational programming rooted in embracing and respecting the environment. Learn more about our commitment to preserving and restoring our natural world. Visit gracefarms.org. Photos: 1. A look at the architecture of Sanctuary from the meadows surrounding the River building in the summertime. By Sahar Coston-Hardy. 2. The Community Garden at Grace Farms in bloom on a summer day. By Sahar Coston-Hardy. 3. An Eastern Black Swallowtail butterfly flutters through the meadows at Grace Farms. By Melani Lust. 4. Cattail Pond at Grace Farms in the summer. By Julien Jarry. #GraceFarms #Summertime #Nature #Pollinators #NewCanaan