Plein Air Art Festival - Become A Sponsor or Exhibitor
A Day In the Life of A Garden
What is the Purpose of the Festival ?
The Pima County Master Gardener Plein Air Festival on November 9 and 10th 2024 will inspire art enthusiasts, gardeners, and other desert dwellers to appreciate a day in the life of a garden as climate change presents its challenges. The event will afford participants with the opportunity to take away a framed, signed, original painting of the gardens, as they might never be seen again, created by artists working in the open air and natural light.
As Tucsonans we are faced with water shortages and higher temperatures and we must find a way to make gardening and landscaping sustainable to enhance the quality of our lives.
Who are the Pima County Master Gardeners – What do they do?
University-trained Pima County Master Gardeners began their volunteer mission to educate people about sustainable gardening 40 years ago as a part of the University of Arizona Pima County Extension.
Over the years we have reached thousands of people with information on the techniques and philosophies of sustainable gardening - using our gardens to illustrate best practices for the Sonoran desert.
In 2023 Master Gardener volunteers performed 25,000 hours of volunteer work, to reach Tucson and surrounding area gardeners through the following activities:
- In-garden hands-on SAGE (Southern Arizona Gardening Educators) seminars,
- Free online workshops, and in-person library talks,
- Free demonstration garden tours
- Free on-line and in-person plant clinic , our online site for Plant information is now also in Spanish!
- Free UA Campus Arboretum tours
- Affordable home gardening consultation services
- Master Gardeners in Green Valley are part of our program and offer similar services, and a program to support veterans.
- A gardening handbook written by Master Gardeners (also in Spanish) sold atTucson gardening supply stores, nurseries and bookstores.
- Social Media: our Facebook posts reach over 76 thousand people
Our outreach also includes teaching the principles of gardening and growing nutritious food to youth at the Pima County Juvenile Detention Center and the Haven, a shelter for women in recovery from alcohol and drug abuse.
Our main annual fund-raisers attract hundreds of gardening enthusiasts.
- The Master Gardener Home Garden Tour in 2023 drew almost a thousand people eager to view private gardens of Master Gardeners.
- Our annual plant sales ( fall and spring) attracted over one thousand buyers taking advantage of the reasonably priced native and desert-adapted plants that we propagate ourselves.
Why Become an Exhibitor?
We invite horticultural and environmental organizations to participate. For $250 you can reach more people at one time than in any print ad, social media post or regular media. At the event you’ll receive immediate feedback and insight into our audience and supporters. In addition, your company becomes associated in real time with an important educational event by a respected community resource. Space is limited.
Exhibitors receive a 10x10 space to set up informational materials only, that make a positive first impression or reinforce a bond with the community that you may already have. You will also receive a mention in our advertising.
Exhibition space is free and available on a limited, first come, first served basis for non-profit organizations.
Why Become a Sponsor?
This Plein Air Art Festival fundraiser will help us to expand our sustainable landscape advocacy, upgrade our gardens and green houses, and modernize our irrigation system. When you become a sponsor of this event you help our volunteers to advance our mission of educating the Tucson community, and you reach our growing audience for sustainable desert gardening information. You can choose one of 4 levels of tax deductible support.
1.) Sahuaro $10, 000
This level of support would help provide:
- An opening reception and food vouchers for the artists
- Tented facilities for the art auction and reception, or classrooms for participant education in the following areas:
- Introduction to Plein Air Art Techniques – Painting outdoors not only captures a beautiful scene but also documents the plants and animals and how they are thriving in an ecosystem.
- Nature photography for ecosystem documentation
- Introduction to Phenology - the lifecycles of plants and animals including how they react to stresses such as weather conditions and availability of water.
Sahuaro level benefits include:
- Your logo displayed at the venue
- Invitations to attend the opening reception to meet the artists
- A 10x10 informational exhibition space
- Food/drink voucher for each day
- A special parking permit
- A garden-themed gift crafted by our Master Gardeners
- A free 5th Edition of our bestseller Tucson Gardening Handbook-written by Master Gardeners in Spanish or English
- Free admission to the event
- Prominent mention in advertising and promotional materials
2.) Cholla $5,000
This level of support would help provide honorariums for workshop instructors and cash prizes for artists.
Cholla level benefits include:
- A 10X10exhibit booth
- An invitation to the festival opening/meet the artists celebration
- A garden-themed gift crafted by our Master Gardeners.
- A food/drink voucher
- Free admission to the event
- A free 5th Edition of our Tucson Gardening Handbook-written by Master Gardeners(English or Spanish)
- Mention in advertising and promotional materials
3.) Barrel Cactus $2,500
This level of support would help with security, bathroom facilities, and marketing materials.
Barrel Cactus level benefits include:
- Opening reception for artists
- Mention in advertising and promotional materials
- A garden-themed gift crafted by our Master Gardeners
- Food /drink vouchers for each day
- Free admission to the event
- A free 5th Edition of our bestseller Tucson Gardening Handbook-written by Master Gardeners ( English or Spanish)
4) Road Runner
This level of support would provide items for participant door prizes
Road Runner level benefits include:
- A listing in the event brochure,
- Mention in advertising and promotional materials
COMMITMENTS & PAYMENTS:
- Commitments are requested by July 1, 2024.
- Make checks payable to: UA Foundation/PCMG Plein Air Art Festival
Mail to:
Pima County Master Gardeners
Plein Air Art Festival
4210 North Campbell Avenue,
Tucson 8571
- For queries regarding becoming and exhibitor or sponsor, send an email to: PCMGPLEINAIR@gmail.com