Leo Politi Garden Dedication

The dedication ceremony for Leo Politi Garden were held on June 2. It was a very nice event attended by the Center's community supporters and fans of Leo Politi.

The garden honors the friendship between children's illustrator and author, Leo Politi, and his friend, the late Professor Arne Nixon. Politi, who was born in Fresno, lived most of his adult life in Los Angeles, but returned many times to speak at, and draw and paint at, workshops put on by Nixon.

The garden is funded by ANCA, the Arne Nixon Center Advocates. ANCA is the support group for the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children’s Literature.

Oz: The Books Conference Round Up

Oz: The Books Conference was held on May 14-16, 2010 at Fresno State Campus, and so-sponsored by the Arne Nixon Center and the International Wizard of Oz Club.
Renowned Oz experts and speakers such as Gregory Maguire, John Fricke, Eric Shanower, and many more, shared their Ozzy experiences.
See some of the photos from the conference at Arne Nixon Center's album.
Thank you to all the speakers, performers, and everyone that helps to make the Conference a success!

Here are some of the press coverage links for the Oz Conference:

A Wicked Secret Garden Party

Update 04/14/04: It was a rather rainy party but wonderful nevertheless, with great food, entertainments, awesome decorations, and pretty umbrellas. Thanks to all that came out to support the Center! Some pics from the party can be viewed right now at our Facebook page, the rest of the pics will be up through a link from our website soon... 

ANCA, the Arne Nixon Center Advocates, invites everyone to its eighth annual Secret Garden Party, on Sunday, April 11th, from 3 to 5 p.m. There will be no cyclones, flying monkeys, or apple-throwing trees, but you might see a Wicked Witch in this spacious north Fresno garden. The party will feature songs from “Wicked,” the hit Broadway musical, and other Ozzy surprises. The exact location of the garden party will be revealed to underwriters and ticket holders upon registration.

Underwriters are needed; they will receive tickets to the party and acknowledgements in promotional materials. The $1,000 Sponsor fee includes up to eight tickets; Patrons, for a $500 fee, get up to six tickets; Contributors, for $250, receive up to four tickets. Individual tickets are also available for $50. The garden party is ANCA's major annual fundraising event; all profits benefit the Arne Nixon Center, this year helping to support the Center’s programs and collections, including the national Oz conference planned for May 14-16, 2010.

For more information about the secret Garden Party and its underwriting opportunities, or to purchase individual tickets, please call 559.278.5790 or e-mail kwillis@csufresno.edu.

Leo Politi Garden Groundbreaking & Construction

The groundbreaking for the Leo Politi Garden is being planned for Monday morning, March 8, at 10 a.m. 

Construction begins Monday, March 8, on the Leo Politi Garden, on the east side of the new Henry Madden Library. The garden honors the friendship between Fresno's most famous children's illustrator and author, Leo Politi, and his dear friend, the late Professor Arne Nixon. Politi, who was born in Fresno, lived most of his adult life in Los Angeles, but returned many times to speak at, and draw and paint at, workshops put on by Nixon.