January 16, 2026
ArtCenter College of Design Hosts Community Poppy Planting to Mark One-Year Anniversary of Palisades and Eaton Fires
MEDIA ADVISORY
Friday, January 16, 2026
PASADENA, CA - ArtCenter College of Design will host Planting Seeds: Remembering the LA Fires on Saturday, January 24, a gathering for reflection and community that includes planting California poppy seeds at its Hillside campus to mark the one-year anniversary of the tragic Eaton and Palisades fires.
During the event, attendees will plant poppy seeds on the College’s campus. ArtCenter is pleased to participate in the Great Altadena Poppy Seed Project, a regional grassroots effort to plant 250 million California poppy seeds in areas impacted by the Eaton Fires. The California poppy, the state flower, is known for its resilience and ability to thrive in challenging conditions, serving as a living symbol of remembrance and renewal.
The occasion offers space for remembrance, connection and collective healing as recovery and rebuilding continue. Many within the ArtCenter community, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, friends and neighbors, were impacted by the fires and experienced profound loss, including homes and irreplaceable personal belongings.
This gathering is free and open to community members of all ages.
WHAT:
Planting Seeds: Remembering the LA Fires–
A Gathering for Reflection and Community
Event page: https://www.artcenter.edu/connect/events/planting-seeds.html
WHEN:
Saturday, January 24, 2026
10 a.m.–noon
WHERE:
ArtCenter College of Design
Sinclaire Pavilion*
Hillside Campus
1700 Lida St.
Pasadena, CA 91103
*Poppy seed planting will take place in designated areas around the campus.
The event is FREE and open to the public.
ATTENDEE NOTE: Participants plantings seeds are encouraged to wear closed-toe shoes and long pants
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About the Great Altadena Poppy Project
The Great Altadena Poppy Project is a grassroots, neighbor-to-neighbor initiative sowing seeds of hope, beauty, and a bit of natural history across the Eaton-fire burn scar. Created and initially funded by longtime Altadena resident and fire survivor René Amy, it will see 250,000,000 California poppy seeds sown across some 700 fire-impacted properties, all at no cost to property owners. Additionally, some 8,000 free seed packets (mostly packed by local Scouts) have been distributed, with locals sending them to friends and family members around the globe, giving rise to the realization that every California poppy will soon stand - and bloom - in solidarity with Altadena.
About ArtCenter College of Design
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. With a mission to educate, inspire and empower creative and design leadership, the College is renowned for its undergraduate and graduate degree programs spanning industrial design, media and technology, as well as visual and applied arts. With deep industry relationships, state-of-the-art facilities and a strong faculty roster, ArtCenter provides real-world experience aligned with industry needs. Through rigorous, hands-on, practitioner-led instruction, the College prepares students for meaningful creative careers. For nearly 100 years, ArtCenter alumni and faculty have shaped many of the world’s most iconic products, vehicles, campaigns and creative works, leaving a lasting impact across art, design and culture.
Media Contact
ArtCenter College of Design
Press Office
pressoffice@artcenter.edu
