WHAT’S HAPPENING:
Imagine a playground sculpted from the earth - built by local families, artists, and youth using ancestral building techniques passed down through generations.
We are creating a one-of-a-kind Clayground at Tucson Village Farm : a large-scale sculptural playground made from adobe, cob, and natural plasters - natural materials that are beautiful, durable, and environmentally sustainable - created by the community, for the community.
Through free hands-on workshops, participants of all ages will learn natural building skills while helping to construct interactive earthen play structures together. These learned skills seed a sustainable mindset and practices that can be applied to any future work or field, contributing to a cultural shift in how we live and create with consideration for our environment.
This project is led by Tucson artists and educators Lindee Zimmer and Lisa Rooney, who bring more than 25 years of combined experience in public art, education, and community projects.
We’re raising funds to bring this vision to life, will you help us?
MILESTONE SO FAR:
We’ve already proven the power of this work!! With support from the Arts Foundation of Tucson and Southern Arizona’s StArt grant, we hosted 8 workshops at TVF earlier this year. More than 70 community members came together to build a 9-foot earthen birdhouse - to support native bird habitat. In this initial phase, our workshop capacity filled within 24 hours, demonstrating strong community interest and demand.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
We are fundraising now to secure materials and keep workshops free and accessible to all.
You: DONATE - whatever you can. $5, $25, $100, $500… It all makes this project come to life!
$25 - Friend of the Playground - Materials for a workshop participant
$50 - Clay Supporter - Supports 1 workshop session
$100 - Natural Builder - Supports 2 workshop sessions
$250 - Community Creator -Half a participant’s workshop series
$500 - Playground Partner - One participant’s full workshop series
$6,000 - Small Sculpture Sponsor - Sponsors a complete workshop series for a small sculpture
$9,000 - Medium Sculpture Sponsor - Sponsors a complete workshop series for a medium scale sculpture
$16,000 - Large Sculpture Sponsor - Sponsors a complete workshop series for a large scale sculpture
Our total goal to build 8 sculptural works that make the entire Clayground is $92,000.
WHAT YOUR DONATION SUPPORTS:
Your donation directly supports:
- Natural building materials and supplies
- Tools and safety equipment
- Artist and educator-led workshops
- Access to free community participation
- Construction of a permanent community earthen playground
WHY DONATE NOW?
Funds raised this summer will allow us to purchase materials, schedule workshops, and begin construction this fall.
Every donation - large or small - helps transform this vision into a permanent community resource.
We BUILD—together, through community workshops and collaborative construction, sharing skills to build a sustainable future.
We CREATE—a permanent, free space for play, learning, and connection.
WHY IT MATTERS:
This project sits at the intersection of public art, community building, environmental education, youth engagement, and sustainable design.
More than 20,000 people visit Tucson Village Farm each year to connect with food, land, and community. The Clayground will expand that impact by creating a permanent space for play, creativity, environmental learning, and community connection.
More than a playground, it will be a living classroom where children and families can experience sustainable building practices firsthand, explore open-ended play, and strengthen their connection to the natural world.
When complete, the Clayground will stand as a free, permanent community resource - supporting creativity, education, and connection for years to come.
Now, we’re ready for the next phases!
In a time when so many feel disconnected, we want to create a place where people can build, play, learn, and belong together. We believe children should have the knowledge to touch the earth, shape it, to build a sustainable future together.
Join us in building something that will last - not just in clay, but in community.
Donate today to help us build the Clayground!
Follow along on our instagram - @clayground.project
*Sponsors will be permanently recognized on site, and may inquire directly for tax write off inquiries.
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