Los Angeles–The Museum of Contemporary Art announced today that it will collaborate with Björk to present the first Biophilia Education Program in Los Angeles, continuing the museum's record of innovation and acclaim in arts education. The one-day Biophilia Education Program will take place on Sunday, June 2, 2013 as part of MOCA's Big Family Day and will be free and open to the public. The Biophilia Education Program at MOCA will coincide with the return of Biophilia to North America with three live, in-the-round performances at the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles on June 2, 5, and 8. 

“It is very exciting for MOCA to be able to provide its community of schoolchildren with the opportunity to participate in Björk’s acclaimed, multi-disciplinary Biophilia Education Program,” said MOCA Director Jeffrey Deitch. “The opportunity to explore creativity through music, science, nature and new technology is vital to the understanding and practice of contemporary art.” 

The Biophilia Education Program aims to inspire children to explore their own creativity, and to learn about music, nature and science through new technologies. Suitable for children aged 9-14 years, the Biophilia workshops are based on Björk’s Biophilia app suite of music and interactive, educational artifacts, and accompany the Biophilia live show. 

The live performance finds Björk accompanied by a set of unique musical instruments created by a team including an Icelandic organ builder and a graduate of the MIT Media Lab. Among the creations are four 10- foot pendulum-harps, a MIDI-controlled pipe organ celeste re-fitted with bronze gamelan bars, and twin musical Tesla coils. The performance also features an award-winning 24-piece Icelandic female choir and visuals from the Biophilia Apps and musicians including Manu Delagu and musical director Matt Robertson. Students learn through hands-on participation, composition and collaboration and create new work. Participants acquire the tools to develop their musical imagination, and to make music in an impulsive and responsive way, inspired by structures and phenomena in the natural world. The Biophilia Education Program brings arts experience to children who might otherwise not have access to it, and engages children with learning difficulties and disabilities.

Explore the architecture of the Getty Villa and learn more about daily life in the ancient world in this 40-minute tour. Meet at the Tour Meeting Place outside the Museum Entrance.