Indelible milestones, from world-class performances to impactful initiatives, have shaped this year at Grace Farms. Our work with inspiring individuals, organizations, and communities continue to make impactful and meaningful change in the world. Below are highlights that advanced our work globally and locally in 2024.
Ninth Anniversary with the London Philharmonic Orchestra
One of the most memorable highlights of the year was our Ninth Anniversary Benefit celebration on October 21, which featured a once-in-a-generation musical experience — hearing the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) perform at Grace Farms. The London Philharmonic Orchestra embarked on its first nationwide tour of the United States in 10 years, which featured appearances at the Philharmonic Society of Orange County in California, Michigan’s Wharton Center, and New York City’s Carnegie Hall, ending its tour-de-force with a sold-out performance at Grace Farms in Connecticut.
Left to right: Sharon Prince, CEO and Founder, Grace Farms Foundation, David Burke, Chief Executive, London Philharmonic Orchestra, acclaimed composer Jessie Montgomery, Elena Dubinets, Artistic Director of London Philharmonic Orchestra, and Chelsea Thatcher, Founding Creative Director and Chief Strategic Officer, Grace Farms Foundation. (photo by Melani Lust)
Under the leadership of LPO 2023/24 Fellow Conductor Luis Castillo Briceño, a 31-musician chamber ensemble of musicians presented a moving program that incorporated themes that shape and moves us — physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Grace Farms and LPO explored respective themes of “Architecture Moves Us” and “Moments Remembered.”
“Architecture moves us to be in community with one another … to connect us to hopeful outcomes that help us, remind us that we can achieve amazing things together.” – Chelsea Thatcher, Chief Strategy Officer and Founding Creative Director
The program, performed in the Sanctuary of Grace Farms’ River building, featured Le Tombeau de Couperin by Ravel, Strum by Jessie Montgomery, and Symphony No. 40 by Mozart. Ms. Montgomery attended the performance and provided remarks introducing her piece.
Ms. Montgomery, Musical America’s 2023 Composer of the Year, as well as a GRAMMY-nominated, acclaimed composer, violinist, and educator, has been described by The Washington Post as “turbulent, wildly colorful and exploding with life.”
The event marked the third collaboration between Grace Farms and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, which was initialized by Chelsea Thatcher, our Chief Strategy Officer and Founding Creative Director, who also gave inspiring closing remarks at the evening’s performance. An 18-minute recording played by an LPO quartet is featured in the Design for Freedom exhibit With Every Fiber, designed by Studio Cooke John, which is currently on view at Grace Farm’s West Barn. The music was initially performed in London on June 12, 2022, UN World Day Against Child Labor, inside the 2022 Serpentine Pavilion—Black Chapel by Theaster Gates, a Design for Freedom Pilot Project.
LPO performs in the Sanctuary at Grace Farms. (photo by Dean Kaufman)
The performance concluded with an encore of Salut d’Amour, by Edward Elgar, (Orchestral version), which received an extended standing ovation.
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Design for Freedom
On March 26, more than 550 industry leaders, experts, as well as 75 students from 30 leading universities, came together at the Design for Freedom Summit to tackle the humanitarian crisis of forced labor in building materials. The sold-out event invited notable industry leaders and humanitarian activists including humanitarian photographer Lisa Kristine, who documents human rights abuses across the world. Kristine’s work, which is also included in the With Every Fiber exhibit, provided a “sobering address” while Nasreen Sheikh, artist, entrepreneur, and human rights advocate, closed the Summit with her poignant story of surviving modern slavery.
Sharon Prince welcomes over 550 industry leaders, experts, and university students to the Design for Freedom Summit. (photo by Jacek Dolata)
“Ending modern slavery begins with conscious consumption. We don’t have a lot of time. And that is a blessing.” – Nasreen Sheikh
The event also featured a panel on Realizing the Just Transition with Leonardo Bonanni, CEO & Founder, Sourcemap, Tim Conway, VP Sustainability, Shaw Industries, and Claire Weisz, Principal-in-Charge, WXY architecture + urban design, and moderated by Grace Farms’ Ethical Materials Director Nora Rizzo. Experts Fiona Cousins, Director, Americas Chair, Arup, James Kitchin, Director of Engineering and Performance & Provenance, MASS Design Group, John Schultz, EVP & Chief Operating and Legal Officer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Hind Wildman, Co-Founder, Yale Center for Ecosystems + Architecture (Yale CEA), with moderation by Sharon Prince, discussed “ethical decarbonization,” a new term that recognizes the direct and inseparable relationship between the carbon in our building materials linked to climate change and the suffering of forced labor in extracting and manufacturing our building materials.
The final panel, the Financial Case Against Forced Labor, featured Preeti Bhattacharji, Head of Sustainable Investing, JP Morgan Chase, Maha Khan, Financial Sector Lead, Financing Against Slavery & Trafficking, United Nations University, Ed Marcum, Managing Director, Working Capital Fund, Dave Wildman, Global Head Facilities, Workplace Experience, MEP Infrastructure, Bloomberg, and was moderated by Grace Farms’ Senior Program Officer Karen Kariuki.
Participants also had the opportunity to engage in breakout sessions featuring round tables, conversations, and presentations that ranged from a focus on building materials to adapting for our future climate.
Sharon Prince, Nasreen Sheikh, and Lisa Kristine at the Design for Freedom Summit. (photo by Melani Lust)
Design for Freedom Pilot Projects
“As a society, we have a moral and ethical obligation to end this human right violation that subsidizes the bottom line of all residential, commercial, government, and cultural construction projects across the world.” – Sharon Prince
During the Summit, Grace Farms announced a new slate of Pilot Projects that span across three continents. These projects demonstrate that designing without forced labor is possible.
- The Karsh Institute of Democracy (Karsh IOD) at the University of Virginia (UVA), Charlottesville, VA. The project team includes Working Group Member Höweler+Yoon, Hanbury Architects, and Hourigan Construction.
- A new facility for Hunger Busters, in Dallas, Texas, is designed by Design for Freedom Working Group Member HKS.
- The Carnegie Global Ethics Hub in New York, NY, designed by MBB Architects.
- Humanscale’s Showroom, in Chicago, Illinois, designed in collaboration with renowned architect Suchi.
- The Bigfork Library, located in the rural community of Bigfork, Montana, designed by Cushing Terrell.
In conjunction with the Summit, Grace Farms released an “Insights” paper summarizing key findings and action steps from a Design for Freedom Ethical Supply Chain Workshop hosted by Grace Farms Foundation, U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), and Turner Construction Company in November 2023.
Launch of Next Iteration of Design for Freedom Toolkit and International Expansion
This year also marked exciting developments in our Design for Freedom initiative. We launched the next iteration of the Design for Freedom Toolkit, titled Design for Freedom International Guidance & Toolkit, a comprehensive resource for design and construction professionals to implement ethical and forced-labor-free material sourcing strategies into their practices. With an introductory letter by The Right Honourable The Baroness Young of Hornsey OBE, the International Guidance & Toolkit features contributions from more than two dozen leading experts, including Lindsay Baker, International Living Future Institute; Dr. Doreen S. Boyd, School of Geography, University of Nottingham; James Cockayne, New South Wales Anti-Slavery Commissioner; John Morrison, Institute for Human Rights and Business; Jonsara Ruth, Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Design; and Eloise Savill, Anti-Slavery International that address topics including the legal landscape, the importance of compliance, the growing issue of prison labor, and the role insurers and investors can play to ensure that our building materials are not embedded with forced or child labor.
“There is real momentum and desire behind the drive for change in the ways in which supply chains operate across the globe … The creation of Design for Freedom’s International Guidance and Toolkit is part of that forward movement …” – The Right Honourable The Baroness Young of Hornsey OBE
The International Guidance & Toolkit also provides information on 12 raw and composite materials that are at high-risk of forced and child labor. These materials, which include glass, concrete, steel, timber, and bricks, are some of the most used in the built environment today. They are often extracted and produced in brutal and inhumane conditions in countries throughout the world. By better understanding the supply chains of these materials and using the Guidance & Toolkit, design and construction professionals can prioritize human rights and ethical procurement, while at the same time meeting health and climate project goals.
Grace Farms also appointed Elaine Mitchel-Hill as our new International Lead, Design for Freedom. Mitchel-Hill stepped into her role at Grace Farms in June 2024 and is overseeing the expansion of Design for Freedom in the UK and India. Mitchel-Hill is at the forefront of the human rights movement in the United Kingdom and currently serves as Co-Chair of the ILO Child Labour Platform India Working Group. To this unique role, she brings more than 20 years of sustainability, ESG, and human rights experience, working across multiple global sectors including construction, extractives, automotive, and solar.
Sharon Prince Addresses Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK, London, England
“To have the built environment and building products and materials supply chains discussed and explored by parliamentarians in this context is highly important and significant.” – Sharon Prince
In October, Sharon Prince addressed the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK, in London. In this historic meeting, Prince discussed Design for Freedom and the need to eliminate forced labor from global supply chains.
Left to right: Dame Sara Thornton, Former UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Sharon Prince, CEO and Founder, Grace Farms, and Karen Kariuki, Managing Director, Strategic Initiatives and Investor Engagement, Grace Farms. They are standing in front of “Big Ben,” Britain’s iconic clock tower which stands at the Houses of Parliament in London.
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With Every Fiber Exhibit Opens
On May 4th, With Every Fiber, a first-of-its-kind exhibit offers the public insights into the issue of forced labor in the building materials supply chain. Through a series of material studies, including timber, steel, concrete, and textiles, the exhibit proposes strategies and practices to address the issue. Curated by Chelsea Thatcher, Chief Strategy Officer and Founding Creative Director of Grace Farms, with exhibition design by Studio Cooke John Architecture + Design and Pentagram, With Every Fiber features information about new, innovative building materials, including a tapestry of bio-based materials designed by the Yale Center for Ecosystems + Architecture and a section on “ethical decarbonization.”
The With Every Fiber exhibit invites visitors to consider who has made our building materials and if they are made with forced and child labor.
We collaborated with 20 pre-eminent designers, material suppliers, artists, cultural institutions, and construction industry leaders featured in the exhibition—all who remind us to consider the questions central to Design for Freedom: where do our building materials come from and are they made with fair labor? In addition, large suppliers including MillerKnoll, North American Stainless, Nucor, Sherwin Williams, and Delta Light provided many of the exhibit’s major materials.
“To value each element of the exhibit design started a chain of care that goes beyond the building material chain of custody. It models to the next person, to all of us, that the choices we make matter. And that is empowering.” – Chelsea Thatcher
In the background of the exhibit is a photograph by award-winning international humanitarian photographer Lisa Kristine. Red, Blue, Black, 2010, from her ongoing Modern Day Slavery series documents the pain of forced labor and the hope of freedom for those who are exploited. (photo by Dean Kaufman)
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Power of Music and Diverse Cultures
We hosted a series of programs featuring influential figures from the creative world in unforgettable concerts and conversation series that explored beauty in different musical traditions, where world-renowned artists perform and discuss their work with our Music Director Marcus G. Miller, an accomplished saxophonist and Harvard mathematician. Miller has performed at the Obama White House, Carnegie Hall, and with major artists like Jon Batiste. Highlights include:
- We kicked off this year’s Voices of Culture series with virtuoso jazz musician James Carter. A dynamic saxophonist, Carter’s music beautifully blends high-velocity solos and soft, warm melodies, weaving together divergent impulses. He also facilitated an interactive Masterclass for saxophone and woodwind players.
International renowned conductor and violinist, Suzie Collier. (photo by Des Taylor).
- The Power of Music with Suzie Collier, a renowned conductor and educator, shared insights on nurturing musical imagination in children and reigniting musical passion in adults.
- In our Voices of Culture series, we also featured vocalist Sheléa, described as “one of the greatest artists of her generation” by the late Quincy Jones. These standout performances reflect the transformative power of music. Additionally, Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, a sitarist, music producer, and composer, also participated in the series. He is known for captivating audiences around the world with his showstopping improvisations and Bollywood-inspired beats.
Sheléa, “one of the greatest artists of her generation.”
- For our Summer Concert, Rick Snell, bluegrass singer and songwriter, held an afternoon concert and entertained the audience with his music that encompasses influence from blues, folk, jazz, and country.
Marcus G. Miller performing with his band IMW in the Sanctuary at Grace Farms.
- Our Beauty and Logic series explored the nuances and beauty of music, along with the logic behind sound, exploring how sound can make materials vibrate and how patterns can emerge from this vibration. The series is a unique math-meets-music experience exploring the sounds we love and the equations that make them possible. These are hosted by our Music Director Marcus G. Miller, who performs with this band, IMW.
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The Arts
Tears of Gold by Hannah Rose Thomas
On view in the Library, from January 11 – 27, we presented portraits of resilient women who are survivors of violence as captured in Hannah Rose Thomas’ book, Tears of Gold.
During Human Trafficking month in January, Grace Farms had the Tears of Gold exhibit. The British author, artist, and human rights activist has been using art to give “voice to the voiceless.” Rose Thomas teaches women to paint their self-portraits.
British artist and current MIDEQ Scholar at Glasgow University, Hannah Rose Thomas has combined art with humanitarian work since 2014, when she organized art projects with Syrian refugees in Jordan for UNHCR. Her portraits have been shown at places including the International Peace Institute in New York, UK Houses of Parliament, European Parliament, Scottish Parliament, and more.
There was also a rare opportunity to join Hannah Rose Thomas in a conversation with Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, president and CEO of the International Peace Institute and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, about healing from the violence women face in conflict zones. Prince Zeid was the 2022 Design for Freedom Summit keynote speaker.
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Design and Innovation: Engaging Conversations
In September, we invited design enthusiasts to join an engaging conversation featuring award-winning designers Nina Cooke John and Eddie Opara, who explored the innovative processes behind our With Every Fiber exhibit, designed by Cooke John, with the graphics by Pentagram. The exhibit curated by Chelsea Thatcher, delves into the design principles of the Design for Freedom, a global movement to eliminate forced labor in the building materials supply chain.
Grace Farms also partnered with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) to launch a student design competition for the 2024-2025 academic year, encouraging young architects to think critically about ethical material sourcing and design.
The competition offers architecture students the opportunity to compete in two separate categories: Category I Design Project and Category II Materials Research.
Launch of Grace Farms and Architecture & Design Film Festival
In October, we launched the Grace Farms and Architecture & Design Film Festival with Mau, a documentary celebrating visionary designer Bruce Mau, reminding us of the immense potential of design to create a better world. Grace Farms Architecture Advisor Toshihiro Oki and Director of Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF) Kyle Bergman introduced the screening of the first feature-length documentary about design visionary Bruce Mau, exploring the designer’s creative journey and optimistic push to tackle the world’s biggest problems with design.
Following the screening, they were joined by Mau and Co-Founder and Chief Insights and Analytics Officer of Massive Change Network Aiyemobisi “Bisi” Williams for a live virtual conversation. A pioneer of transformation design, Bruce Mau believes that design can be used to create positive change in our world.
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Inspiration From Nature
Throughout the year, we not only invite visitors to experience the awe and wonder of nature, but we offer opportunities to learn hands-on how to care for the environment through various nature-focused programs that demonstrate how it’s possible to create biodiverse habits for all living things including our essential pollinators such as butterflies.
Grace Farms has restored the meadows over the years by planting thousands of native plants that attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees.
In August, we celebrated butterflies in our Nature Classroom series and other educational pop-up talks, through the exploration of the meadows and preserved ecosystems at Grace Farms that have created a perfect haven for these enchanting pollinators. Besides butterflies, bees are also vital to our environment, helping to pollinate a variety of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Read more about The Magnificence of Butterflies, a blog from our Director of Horticulture Kimberly Kelly.
“Butterflies can detect changes in nature before we do because they are very sensitive to changes in their surroundings. That’s why they are an important “indicator species,” detecting environmental changes that we may not see right away.” – Kimberly Kelly
Kelly also joined about 100 delegates from all over the world who converged in Penang, Malaysia, for the International Conference of Butterfly Exhibitors and Suppliers (ICBES) 2024.
Kelly, who is president of the International Association of Butterfly and Exhibitors & Suppliers (IABES), was among some 100 delegates from all over the world including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, and Malaysia, who convened to explore more sustainable breeding programs to advancements in educational exhibits.
Besides educational programs about the importance of butterflies, we also invite visitors to learn more gardening, bird habitats, and more.
- Gardening Workshops helps participants learn to extend their harvests and create beautiful floral arrangements.
- Birdwatching Walks guided by Master Birder Frank Mantlik offers a unique opportunity to witness birds in their natural habitat and as they migrate.
- Nature’s Classroom and Family Tours provides interactive experiences for children and families to connect with the natural world, nurturing a sense of wonder and curiosity about the environment.
- Animal Encounters invite people of all ages to meet and learn about a range of friendly animals from the New Canaan Nature Center.
- Night Sky Exploration provides visitors a rare opportunity to explore the night sky throughout the seasons with an educator from Mystic Seaport Museum’s Treworgy Planetarium, who utilizes a tracking telescope and other observational tools.
Earth Day Celebration
Birdwatching, one of the fastest growing outdoor activities, brings visitors to Grace Farms to learn more about each bird’s characteristics and the habitats that help them thrive in nature and in our communities. We have more than 100 species of birds at Grace Farms, largely a result of building diverse habitats.
Our signature annual Earth Day event held on April 20, brings hundreds of people to Grace Farms, connecting them with the natural world. A day-long celebration, guests explore all corners of our natural landscape from the far-reaching groves of trees to the tranquil pond brimming with life. Our Horticulture Advisor and butterfly expert Kimberly Kelly, along with Grace Farms’ Educators, have an opportunity to explore the awe and wonders of nature. Grace Farms’ commitment to sustainability has transformed nearly 80 acres into 10 biodiverse habitats, woodlands, ponds, meadows. Participants can also come face-to-face with rescued wildlife from Animal Embassy and learn about the more than 100 birds that call Grace Farms their home with Master Birder Frank Mantlik.
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Culinary Experiences: Farm-to-Table Dining and Tea Rituals
Our Garden-to-Table Dinners, Chef’s Palate series with Leah Jones, and Afternoon Tea and Journey Into the World of Tea, in-depth exploration of tea led by expert Frank Kwei brought together members of our community over ethically-source tea and delicious, locally sourced meals. Each event highlighted the deep connection between food, culture, and sustainability, showcasing our commitment to ethical sourcing through Grace Farms Tea & Coffee, a Certified B Corp, a global movement challenging business to meet high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.
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Grace Farms Tea & Coffee Expands into Whole Foods Markets!
This year, Grace Farms Tea & Coffee continued to expand its line of tea and coffee. Launched in 2021, a Certified B Corp that gives back 100% of its profits to support Design for Freedom, is the first U.S.-based premium tea brand to partner with Fairtrade International and the only one that gives back all profits to ending forced labor worldwide.
A significant milestone since launching, Grace Farms Tea & Coffee became available to more consumers through Whole Foods Markets in CT, MA, NH, and RI. In addition to the momentous achievement, the B Corp also expanded its corporate partnership program to over 20 corporations and nonprofits including JP Morgan Chase & Co., UBS, World Economic Forum, Sciame Construction, and Aramark, a national food service provider.
Just as Design for Freedom Pilot Projects demonstrate that building without forced labor is possible, every cup of coffee and tea we serve at Grace Farms or sold through retail and corporate partnerships, is ethically and sustainably made without forced labor. Led by co-founders Adam Thatcher and Sharon Prince, Grace Farms Tea & Coffee is new kind of social entrepreneurship “steeped in purpose,” according to Forbes.
Thatcher and Prince have traveled to the tea estates from which Grace Farms Tea is sourced. Thatcher also recently traveled to the women-led Kopepi Ketiara Cooperative in the Gayo Highlands of Sumatra, Indonesia. Since we partnered with Ketiara in 2015 for our original River Roast, the co-op of growers and harvesters has more than tripled in members and yield.
Inspirational Conversations
The Role of Faith in Reconciliation in a Time of Division
On December 17, we invited the public to an insightful conversation with Reverend Lisa Lynne Kirkpatrick and Dr. Matthew Croasmun, Associate Research Scholar and the Director of the Life Worth Living program at the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School, to explore how faith can play a pivotal role in mending divides in our communities. Reverend Kirkpatrick currently serves as Minister of Word and Sacrament/Head of Staff at Linn Presbyterian Church in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Reverend Kirkpatrick, who was Grace Farms’ Founding Community Initiative Director from 2015 to 2019, shared her experiences and perspectives on using spiritual principles to foster understanding, empathy, and reconciliation in times of societal division. During her time at Grace Farms, she greatly contributed to the community with her wide areas of expertise and gracious spirit, empowering and supporting hundreds of not-for-profit organizations along the way. The State of Connecticut’s General Assembly recognized her community contributions through Grace Farms Foundation noting her leadership, kindness, humor and enthusiasm. Also, an accomplished singer, songwriter, and pianist, Reverend Kirkpatrick performed with Broadway Inspirational Voices for their 30th anniversary in New York City on December 16, 2024. Broadway International Voices performed at Grace Farms in 2015.
Matthew Croasmun is the author of five books including the New York Times bestseller, Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most (with Miroslav Volf and Ryan McAnnally-Linz).
He is an ordained Vineyard pastor, having served as the founding pastor of the Elm City Vineyard Church in New Haven, CT. Rooted in the Christian church, much of Matthew’s work operates at the boundaries of religious and ideological identity, helping diverse communities ask the big questions of life across important and enduring lines of difference.
In Pursuit of Ethical and Transparent Supply Chains
Grace Farms hosted a vibrant discussion and book signing event featuring The Profiteers by Christopher Marquis, the Sinyi Professor at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School and an acclaimed author specializing in ethical business practices and the B Corp movement. Marquis shared insights from his latest book and led a conversation with influential leaders Joe Kenner, CEO of Greyston Bakery; Aidaly Sosa Walker, Head of Marketing USA at Tony’s Chocolonely; and Sharon Prince of Grace Farms. Prince highlighted the significance of “asking” in the pursuit of ethical and transparent supply chains, particularly through initiatives like Grace Farms Tea & Coffee and Design for Freedom.
Christopher Marquis, the Sinyi Professor at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School.
Dinner with a Purpose featured Lauren Bush Lauren, FEED Founder & Chief Brand Officer. The evening began with refreshing cocktails and a conversation about female leadership, social entrepreneurship, and innovative ways to address food insecurity between Lauren and Karen Kariuki, Grace Farms’ Managing Director, Strategic Initiatives and Investor Engagement.
Afterwards, the community was invited to enjoy a delicious dinner featuring a local and sustainable menu in the Commons, surrounded by the scenic backdrop of Grace Farms’ 80 acres.
Conversations in Architecture
A River of Glass
Grace Farms Architecture Advisor Toshihiro Oki hosted Michael Ra, Founding Principal at Front Inc., Founding Director of Via, and Co-Chair of the Elefront initiative, in a conversation about the distinct glass walls of the River building, from custom design through specialized construction.
A common thread between the modernists of the past and the River building at Grace Farms is the use of glass. Front Inc. was the project partner responsible for the design of the glass envelope used in the creation of the over 200 individually-sized, curved glass panels at Grace Farms.
Their conversation explored the innovative and distinct glass system created to complement SANAA’s design concept; the creation of customized glass seals; and the process of sourcing of glass that meets high-quality fabrication, energy, and performance criteria.
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Making Headlines
Grace Farms garnered numerous media attention throughout the year, highlighting the place, our work, Design for Freedom, and new outcomes. Below are select highlights:
On Human Rights Day, Grace Farms Launched a Toolkit of Ethical Strategies for Architects (Arch Daily)
“By expanding our engagement in Europe and Asia and issuing the International Guidance and Toolkit geared towards a growing global audience, we are better poised to address this egregious human rights violation.” – Sharon Prince
To download the Toolkit.
Grace Farms Ninth Anniversary with London Philharmonic (New Canaan Sentinel)
“Nine years ago, I remarked that the possibilities we could achieve here together are as open as the landscape of Grace Farms. Tonight’s contribution to our history and our future by the London Philharmonic Orchestra demonstrates that this is remarkably coming to pass. We are honored to welcome one of the world’s greatest orchestras to Grace Farms.” – Sharon Prince
Sustainable Food And Drink: Products That Taste Good And Do Right (Forbes)
“…in a world plagued by climate change, water scarcity and vast income inequality, consumers are increasingly looking at the social and environmental footprint of their purchasing decisions.”
With Every Fiber: New Long-Term Exhibition Addresses Inclusivity and Accessibility (PAPYRUS)
“Together, we created an immersive experience aimed at encouraging people to consider the unseen labor embedded in the materials that make up our homes, schools, cultural centers, stadiums, landscapes, and more.” – Chelsea Thatcher
Why you should care a lot more about where building materials come from (Fast Company)
“We’ve seen the food and fashion industries held to account,” she says. “It’s time for us to do the same thing with the building industry.” – Sharon Prince
Designing From Values, Sharon Prince, Grace Farms Foundation
(Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders, Stanford Speaker Series (eCorner)
“And as you can think about architecture, which is inherently creating new things, what is so surprising, fascinating, and under-realized is the power, the enormous power of architecture, to drive new outcomes, and even humanitarian outcomes.” – Sharon Prince
Grace Farms Foundation Holds Third Annual Design for Freedom Summit (Metropolis)
“Ending modern slavery begins with conscious consumption. We don’t have a lot of time. And that is a blessing.” – Nasreen Sheikh, artist, entrepreneur, and human rights advocate
Grace Farms Opens Long-Term Exhibition Focused on Forced Labor and Building Materials Supply Chains (Arch Daily)
“With Every Fiber responds to Design for Freedom’s efforts to remove the veil covering the reality of unethical labor practices in the construction industry.” – Nina Cooke John
“As a society, we have a moral and ethical obligation to end this human rights violation that subsidizes the bottom lines of all our residential, commercial, governmental, and cultural projects around the world.” – Sharon Prince
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Ongoing Initiatives
Space Grants
Through our Space Grant program we offer the space to gather, support, and engage through private and public programming. We were honored, for instance, to host New Canaan’s Office of Emergency Management, which led a 2-day emergency preparedness training for town leaders as well as emergency leaders from neighboring towns, public and private schools and nonprofits such as the New Canaan Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Voices Center for Resilience. The training was coordinated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Texas A&M.
Tours & Family Activities
Imagination Playground
Children can use lightweight blocks designed by architect David Rockwell, to build skills, solve problems, and make friends using an innovative system of large-scale.
Bunny Book Group
Designed to engage our youngest visitors with the architecture, landscape, and community of Grace Farms, children and their care-givers have an opportunity to explore children’s books in our Library that is related to our work and place of Grace Farms.
Open Arts Studio
Every Thursday and Saturday throughout the year, children and their caregivers, have an opportunity to think, play, create, and experiment with sensory-rich materials and different modes of art making.
School Field Trips
We invited K-12 students to Grace Farms for the day to learn about nature, architecture, and sustainability. These School Field Trip programs are led by Grace Farms Educators and align with the Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core, Connecticut Elementary and Secondary Social Studies Frameworks, and Social and Emotional Learning practices.
Our other tours focused on the River building, providing students with a chance to solve problems and reflect, while Beauty & Logic for high school students invited students to experience how sounds are created by and exist within the physical world during a special adaptation of Beauty & Logic.
In addition to private tours, our Architecture Advisor Toshihiro Oki, goes behind the scenes and offers professionals an opportunity to examine integral parts of the River building’s design such as how wood was utilized as one of the main building elements, how existing trees were repurposed into wood tables, chairs, and other furniture, and more. These private architecture tours are approved for AIA CES, continuing educational credits.
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Looking Toward 2025
On October 11, a new sculpture, ParaPosition, by acclaimed artist Alicja Kwade, known for prompting us to consider our shared reality, will be installed in Grace Farms’ North Field. The sculpture will be unveiled on our Community Day in honor of our 10th anniversary on October 18. As part of the day-long event, we will also open the With Every Fiber exhibit with new themes and content.
The sculpture, comprised of slim interlocking steel frames supporting four boulders and a blue chair made of bronze, will be a permanent installation at Grace Farms. The announcement made by Chelsea Thatcher, Grace Farms’ Creative Director and Chief Strategic Officer, at the close of LBO’s stunning performance, invites us to consider the course of humanity within the cosmos with a posture of curiosity and reflection, she says. “The siting of the sculpture within Grace Farms’ North Field at peak elevation will enhance this dynamic conversation, placed to experience long vistas across the 80 acres of biodiverse landscape with the full River building in view, and quiet, intimate moments of meadows humming with butterflies, birds, and dragonflies at the base of the sculpture.”
ParaPosition’s array of steel and stone draws viewers into the frame of this massive, yet fragile, universe. The substantial stones, with their immense weight, appear to defy gravity in an almost weightless balancing act. The chair beckons viewers to reflect on our relationship with the world and contemplate the fundamental nature of our existence. Kwade investigates and questions universally accepted notions of space, time, science, and philosophy by breaking down frames of perception and yielding complex meanings from simple forms.
Grace Farms’ Director of Horticulture, Kimberly Kelly, will establish a new design of thriving meadows to complement the sculpture.
Meet Our Artist in Residence Architectural Photographer James Florio
James Florio at Grace Farms during his 18-month residency.
Architectural photographer James Florio works slowly and with intention. During his 18–month residency at Grace Farms, Florio utilizes large format film to investigate and capture the depth of changes that climate, time, and nature have on the architecture and landscape. His residency will culminate with a contribution to our permanent artworks and an exhibition of his images. On January 30, we’ll invite the public to explore his process and discuss his residency at Grace Farms.
Humanity in Architecture Film Festival
Friday, January 24 and Saturday, January 25
Join Grace Farms and ADFF for a two-day film festival with feature length films, including a screening of Tokyo Ride (2020), directed by Ila Bêka & Louise Lemoine, starring Ryue Nishizawa and Kazuyo Sejima of SANAA, the architects that designed Grace Farms.
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About Grace Farms Foundation
The River building at Grace Farms is embedded in nature. Nearly 80 acres of natural and diverse landscapes surround the award-winning River. (photo by Sahar Coston-Hardy)
We bring together people across sectors to explore nature, arts, justice, community, and faith at the SANAA-designed River building and Barns, on 80 acres of publicly accessible natural landscape.
Our humanitarian work to end modern slavery and foster more grace and peace in our local and global community includes leading the Design for Freedom movement to eliminate forced labor in the building materials supply chain.
This collaborative approach to comprehensively address humanitarian issues and generate new outcomes is reflected across all of our initiatives and the place of Grace Farms.
Membership
Grace Farms members can visit without advance registration and enjoy a 20% discount on paid programs, retail, and dining, invitations to members-only gatherings, complimentary events, and a welcome gift from Grace Farms Tea & Coffee.
Becoming a member helps us advance our mission to pursue a more peaceful world and supports the preservation of the River building and its surrounding 80 acres.
For more information, visit gracefarms.org/membership.
Visit our calendar of events to learn more about upcoming programs.
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