Upon its opening in 2009, the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park will be one of the largest museum art parks in the country, and the only one to feature the ongoing commission of site-specific artworks by international artists at all stages of their careers. The IMA’s goal is to present contemporary art projects, exhibitions and discussions designed to strengthen the public’s understanding of society’s multi-faceted relationship with the natural world. Programming for the Art & Nature Park will grow directly out of the artworks, which will include temporary and permanent installations from emerging and established artists. The 100-acre Park site is bordered by the White River and runs contiguous to the IMA’s current 52-acre campus, more than half of which is comprised of historic landscapes and gardens. Commissions will be ongoing, with additional artists’ projects to be announced annually.