Palm Desert Public Art

Thanks to the innovative Art in Public Places program, it’s easy to indulge your artistic side in Palm Desert – just look around at the more than 150 artworks in the City's collection. Not only will you find stunning, larger-than-life sculptures, but you'll also discover countless objet d'art throughout the City's landscape – like bus shelters designed with desert-modern sensibility or serene sculptures trickling water.

In 1986 Palm Desert was the first city in Riverside County to pass a public art ordinance, which requires an art fee to be paid when construction is done. The goal of the ordinance is to give citizens and visitors the opportunity to live and play in a beautiful, art filled environment.

Our Art on Your Schedule

Free guided tours are available on the second Saturday of each month from September through June. For details on the next tour, visit the Palm Desert Event Calendar. Groups of four or more can schedule their own free tour.

Public Art Special Events

Join the City of Palm Desert and numerous local organizations including the Palm Springs Art Museum, Mojave Desert Land Trust, Historical Society of Palm Desert, Walter N. Marks Center for the Arts at College of the Desert, Hidden Harvest, and many others in a month long celebration of historical and contemporary plein air artwork in the Coachella Valley. Throughout the month of April 2012 there will be lectures, paint-outs, workshops, sketch crawls, tours. and many other events, most of which are free. Visit Desertscapes.net or call 760-837-1664 for a full schedule.

The Public Art Department and the University of California, Riverside Palm Desert Graduate Center present the second annual Public Art Documentary Film Series beginning in January and continuing monthly though April.

View Forever, the winning video from the Public Art Video Contest by Nicholas Cox and Yoga Is Harmony, the second place winner by Rebecca Rowley.

Also, be sure to follow the Public Art program on Twitter or fan us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on all our offerings.