Our Story
Topa Institute is located in the upper Ojai Valley. Formerly known as The Ojai Foundation, for 50 years the land has been an educational camp running nature based ceremonial programs for high school seniors. After the Thomas Fire swept through in 2017, Topa Institute stepped in to steward the camp and carry on the essential work of initiating our young people at a time when the world needs it most. Over the years, our core offerings have explanded to include adult programming and community events.
As a retreat center, Topa offers Rite of Passage retreats for high school seniors, Council trainings, workshops, classes, and conferences that deepen senses of community and connection with the more-than-human world. On a ridge of the Topatopa Mountains in the Upper Ojai Valley, we nourish the legacy of The Ojai Foundation, which was based here for four decades, by continuing its longstanding practices of deep-listening communication and by creating intercultural connections that have thrived on the ridge for so many years.
Topa Institute also offers a wide range of arts and culture programming. These programs aim to cultivate and support artists and scholars whose work centers historically underrepresented, non-dominant cultures. We bring artists together to explore the relationship between the center and the margins in culture, all while increasing access to artistic opportunities.
To learn more about Topa Institute, visit our page Mission & Vision.