FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Marie Butterline | 405-951-0000 | mbutterline@okcontemp.org
OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 28, 2025) — Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center has been awarded a $10,000 grant through the Oklahoma City Community Foundation’s Parks & Public Space Initiative, supporting tree planting in Oklahoma City’s Campbell Art Park.
The grant will support a broader effort led by Kirkpatrick Philanthropies to establish the Arboretum Collaborative, a regional partnership between Red Ridge Nature Preserve, Mollie Spencer Farm and Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. The Collaborative achieved formal arboretum accreditation in April 2025 through ArbNet, the only international accreditation program setting standards for the curation and conservation of woody plant collections.
Together, the partner sites have combined their tree and shrub collections into a single, curated database, forming one overarching arboretum dedicated to protecting and planting Oklahoma-native tree species. The Campbell Art Park plantings, funded in part by this new grant funding form the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, will introduce five new woody plant species to the shared collection.
“Oklahoma Contemporary is honored to be part of this visionary project connecting art, ecology and community,” said Trent Riley, Executive Director of Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. “The Arboretum Collaborative reflects the values we share with our partners, a deep commitment to sustainability, education and the beauty of Oklahoma’s natural environment. This grant allows us to enhance Campbell Art Park and our grounds as both a creative and ecological resource for our city.”
The Arboretum Collaborative builds on decades of environmental and arts philanthropy by Kirkpatrick Philanthropies, uniting cultural and conservation-minded organizations to inspire public appreciation for the landscapes that shape our region. Through these collective efforts, the Collaborative aims to expand its species catalog from its current 25+ species to higher accreditation levels, with a goal of 50 species in the coming years.
The Parks & Public Space Initiative, administered by the Oklahoma City Community Foundation (OCCF), has invested more than $5 million to support the beautification, development and activation of public parks, trails and green spaces across central Oklahoma.
For more information about Campbell Art Park, visit oklahomacontemporary.org.
About Oklahoma Contemporary
Oklahoma Contemporary, formed in 1989 as City Arts Center by Christian Keesee and Kirkpatrick Foundation Director Marilyn Myers, is a nonprofit organization committed to providing quality, accessible and affordable arts programming. With a mission to encourage artistic expression in all its forms through education, exhibitions and performance, Oklahoma Contemporary is committed to instilling in the public a lifetime appreciation of the arts and enthusiasm for creative practice. For more information on free exhibitions, class schedules and public programs, visit oklahomacontemporary.org.
Past press releases and information are archived at okcontemp.org/media.
Image: Campbell Art Park. Courtesy of Oklahoma Contemporary.
