ART
Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley have much to offer art lovers (CV Independent)
A weekend day trip can be a great way to experience (slightly) lower temperatures and see some unexpectedly sophisticated art. Here are three places to start.
Wildflowers and wild art in Borrego Springs (Desert Star Weekly)
Artist and welder Ricardo Breceda has created more than 130 full-size prehistoric-inspired metal sculptures throughout Borrego Springs.
Agnes Pelton at Phoenix Art Museum (KCRW)
A spectacular exhibition, Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist, is on view at the Phoenix Art Museum through Sept. 8. It travels to the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe, the Whitney Museum in New York, and the Palm Springs Art Museum, where the first big reappraisal of her work was staged in 1995. Pelton lived in Cathedral City for most of her adult life.
It’s a Shag world (Palm Springs Life)
Meet artist, painter, and illustrator Josh Agle, better known as Shag, creator of a tiki-inspired world featuring glamorous, stylish people enjoying a fun, mid-mod lifestyle with martinis in hand.
What happens when site-specific art outlasts its surroundings? (New York Times Magazine)
Architecture can be declared a landmark, but all too often the fate of artwork that has been made for a particular environment remains uncertain.
Pop-up installations are Instagrammable, but is it art? (Toronto Star)
The integration of a pop-up gallery reflects a broader trend as more retailers and brands respond to the millennial generation’s demands for more “experiences.”
FILM
PS International Short Fest to debut ‘kaleidoscope of voices’ in Palm Springs (The Desert Sun)
The 25th anniversary of the Palm Springs International ShortFest will bring 369 films to the Palm Springs Cultural Center June 18-24. The festival will feature 60 world premieres, 25 international premieres, 46 North American premieres, 17 U.S. premieres and 98 California premieres in 60 curated programs.
The mighty ShortFest (Palm Springs Life)
In 25 years, Palm Springs International ShortFest has surpassed expectations, growing from an offshoot of the Palm Springs International Film Festival to the largest short film festival of its kind in North America. Here’s a look back at the genesis of the festival, how it evolved, and where it’s headed.
Top 10 must-sees at ShortFest (Palm Springs Life)
Romance, LGBTQ themes, real-life matters, and “really out there” offerings ignite the robust 25th annual outing.
HERITAGE
Highway 74 revisited (Palm Springs Life)
Trekking the coast-to-desert freeway in pursuit of the superbloom, a road-tripping duo marvels at a famous California mission, a theater that host the longest-running outdoor play in the United States, and a mysterious spaceship house near Idyllwild.
ISSUES AND IDEAS
Living Desert, art museum partner for locals (Uken Report)
Now through¬ Sept. 30, members of The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens and Palm Springs Art Museum will enjoy free admission to both establishments.
Brian Blueskye joins The Desert Sun as arts reporter (The Desert Sun)
After six years covering entertainment and community news for the Coachella Valley Independent, he replaces Bruce Fessier, who retired after 40 years at The Desert Sun.
Taking Native lands and lives (Alliance of Museums)
Christine Lashaw, experienced developer at the Oakland Museum of California, shares how she and her colleagues have collaborated with the museum’s Native Advisory Council to tell hard truths about the state’s history.
MUSIC
City of Coachella gets new music festival (Cactus Hugs)
The Desert Rock Fest, a new music festival in the city of Coachella, has been announced for the first weekend in April 2020 at the new Hotel Indigo.
Joshua Tree Music Festival announces fall lineup (Cactus Hugs)
North Mississippi Allstars and The California Honeydrops will headline the fall edition of the Joshua Tree Music Festival, set for Oct. 10–13 at Joshua Tree Lake Campground. Other performers include Yak Attack, The Hu, Russ Liquid Test, Gato Preto, Balkan Bump, Earth Arrow, Elektric Voodoo, and Zach Deputy.
Paul Rodgers accepts Icon honor at CV Music Awards (CV Weekly)
The legendary vocalist for Free and Bad Company performed “All Right Now” with nominees who were selected to play a five-song tribute to him at the seventh annual CV Music Awards. Here’s a complete list of the winning musicians and bands.
THEATER AND STAGE
Small Annenberg Theater draws big national talent (The Desert Sun)
Three volunteers for the Palm Springs Art Museum created a nationally distinctive music series for the museum’s 430-seat theater next season by poring over a list of Broadway performers like it was Fantasy Football draft day.
Encore wants to present affordable theater with a message (CV Independent)
Social relevance is a key element in the plays Encore Theater District chooses to produce, says artistic director Tiffanie Patscheck. Encore is always looking for interesting plays to sink their teeth into, and it casts only local actors.
Photo: Palm Springs Art Museum (shown) and The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens have partnered to offer their members free summer access to both organizations’ venues. Photograph by Steven Biller.
