Upcoming Events:

All the events are planned for SATURDAY or SUNDAY.

Date: TBD 5:30pm
SECOND DISCUSSION WITH MARC WHITMAN, ARCHITECT, ABOUT HIS PROPOSAL TO START AN ART SCHOOL AT THE LOCATION OF THE ACTUAL OUSD. This is a free event.

May 28, 2:00 pm
CONTINUATION OF THE OJAI AUTHORS SERIES WITH LOCAL WRITER CATHERINE ANN JONES; a book presentation of her most recent book “Buddha and the Dancing Girl,” a memoir of her creative life. $ 15 per person, $ 10 for seniors and students.

Events In Preparation:

• “How will future developments affect the future of Ojai?”
• “Affordable housing”
• “Divisiveness among long term Ojai residents and newcomers”

• “The controversy of planting trees in a drought,” with Garett Clifford.
• “Ojai’s Climate Park Project”
• “Global and local climate change issues”

• Panel discussions with local teachers and parents from different schools on critical issues such as “How to deal with bullying, drugs, violence, racism, internet issues, etc.”

Most Recent Events:

Benefit Concert for Ukraine. We received donations in the amount of $6,506 that will be sent to “Team Humanity,” a non-profit organization (501,c,3) which offers food and shelter to Ukrainian refugees in Moldova. Thank you very, very much. Not one single dollar has been kept to cover our expenses for this event. A copy of the wire transfer will be posted on our website in a few days. Team Humanity acknowledges the receipt of your donation of 6,506.00 USD received through wire transfer on April 14th, 2022. Click here to see the receipt.

Interview with Marc Whitman. On March 19th The Ojai Retreat Cultural Center continued its monthly series of live, plus zoom interviews exploring Ojai community issues. This began with architect Marc Whitman discussing his idea for the development of the Ojai Unified School District as an Art School. His idea has stimulated many in the community to visualize an adult education center that is not only an art school but perhaps includes environmental studies, a space to learn trades and even a teachers college to enhance the careers of the many teachers in the Valley. He was interviewed by Ellen Hall at the Ojai Retreat.

Interview with The Ojai Valley News. On Saturday, April 9, 2:30 pm, the series continued with Ojai Valley News owner/publisher Laura Rearwin Ward, news editor Marianne Ratcliff, and reporters Perry Von Houten and Kimberly Rivers. Local newspapers have been struggling, losing 2,200 of them since 2005. A few local residents have recently purchased Ojai’s 130-year-old journal of record as Ojai Media and led by Publisher Laura Rearwin Ward. What is the state of Ojai’s local newspaper, what are its values, challenges and vision for the future? Take a look inside the inner workings of our community’s newspaper and join in the discussion with the team bringing the news to our valley. This interview was conducted by Ellen Hall.

Photos from previous events.

Click each photo to expand and scroll through.