From parks to street corners, art is all around us
Visiting Palm Desert can be an artful experience. With parks, street medians and buildings accentuated by eye-catching and thought-provoking sculpture, public art is often right around the corner in our city.
Look up as you enter Desert Willow Golf Resort. Yes, that’s a Dale Chihuly glass installation. Check out the bus stop at Highway 111 and San Pablo. Barrett DeBusk’s “Fat Happy” adds a bright spot of color and humor to this somewhat unexpected spot.
Back in 1986, Palm Desert became the first city in Riverside County to enact a public art ordinance, and visitors today can enjoy the benefit that comes after 30-plus years of curating and collecting fine art for all to enjoy.
“Public art defines the city,” says Amy Lawrence, Management Analyst for the City of Palm Desert who manages the city’s Art in Public Places program. “Art creates a place you want to live in or visit. A city has to have basic infrastructure, like streets and parks. Once you move beyond the basic infrastructure, though, it’s public art that adds to the experience and atmosphere.”
While art is on view throughout the city, the largest concentration of artwork can be found along El Paseo, at the Palm Desert Civic Center Park, and in the vicinity of the Palm Desert Library.
Although the City has temporarily discontinued public art tours, you can still tour the artwork found throughout Palm Desert on your own by downloading a tour map.
Wherever your travels take you in our city, Palm Desert’s public art is sure to brighten your journey.