You can hardly notice, but fall is near, which means so are the busier schedules and, larger crowds of “the season.” This is your chance to take in a month of arts and culture at a pace and with the space you want. It might still be hot outside, but there’s a bright constellation of exhibitions at the air-conditioned Palm Springs Art Museum, as well as film screenings and opera and comedy performances to satisfy your cravings for culture and entertainment. We’ll see you around the desert!
Above: Contrasts: Promised Gifts From the Kaplan-Ostergaard Glass Collection features studio glass works by Emma Camden, Steve Klein, and Nick Mount through September 15 at Palm Springs Art Museum. Photograph by Lance Gerber/courtesy Palm Springs Art Museum.
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
WALKER GUEST HOUSE: Tour a replica of the Paul Rudolph’s Walker Guest House, an eye-popping icon of Sarasota modernism and specimen of minimalism, in downtown Palm Springs, on weekends through March 2020. The 576-square-foot post-and-beam house is regarded by historians as one of the great works of modern American architecture. Info
ART
ART WALK: Visit artists in their natural habitat — in their studios and galleries! — September 4 during the free-to-the-public Backstreet Art District Art Walk in Palm Springs. Info
REACH FOR THE SKY: Canadian First Nations artist Henry Hunt, a Kwakiutl chief, carved a 30-foot-tall red cedar totem pole that stands on the fifth fairway of the Sunnylands grounds. Opening September 11, Reach for the Sky: Tradition + Inspiration features artwork by the Hunt Family and Herb Alpert. The exhibition explores the ways in which artists inspire each other across culture, space, and time.Info
GEOMETRY 101: UCR Palm Desert’s Geometry 101 exhibition, featuring the work of Gerald Patrick and other local artists, highlights how simple geometric forms are used for a pleasing effect. An artist reception is set for September 13, and guests are asked to bring donations of art supplies, which will be given to local teachers for their classrooms.Info
CONTRASTS: Promised Gifts From the Kaplan-Ostergaard Glass Collection, which ends September 15 at Palm Springs Art Museum, showcases blown, cast, and kiln-formed glass by artists such as Emma Camden, Steve Klein, and Nick Mount. Info
REMEMBER: Artist members of the CREATE Center for the Arts in Palm Desert open an exhibition of their work on September 18. Info
THE BUZZ: In conjunction with Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day, S.C.R.A.P. Gallery opens Bee Our Guest, an exhibition September 21 exploring the impacts of pollution, pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change that on the survival of the bee species. The show features artwork made from recycled materials and inspired by bees, butterflies, bats, and other pollinators. Info
SUBLIME PHOTOGRAPHY: Contemporary Sublime: The Photographic Collecting of William G. Butler, through October 6 at the Palm Springs Art Museum, taps into unconscious experiences and creates a psychological connection between viewer and image. Info
SHAPING VISION: Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism offers an overview of historic developments from the late 19th century to post-WWII, showcasing paintings by Vincent van Gogh, Willem de Kooning, Édouard Manet, Joan Mitchell, Mark Rothko, and others — runs through October 13 at Palm Springs Art Museum. Info
BRAVE NEW WORLDS: Explorations of Space features five Southern California artists — Kelly Akashi, Gisela Colon, Victoria Fu, Karen Lofgren, and Adee Roberson — who each created sculpturally immersive installations. The exhibition continues through December 15 at Palm Springs Art Museum. Info
FLIGHT PLAN: The Birds of Sunnylands, an exhibition of 52 photographs taken last season by National Geographic lensman Tim Laman at Sunnylands Center and Gardens, is on view through May 2020 at the Coachella Valley History Museum in Indio. Info
HERITAGE
FLASHBACK: Take a nostalgic look at the “Main Street of America” in the exhibition Roadtrip: Route 66 through September 14 at La Quinta Museum. The exhibit showcases the photography of Andy Romanoff and Brian Helder; Wendy Jack’s detailed diorama of a gas station and souvenir shop; an art installation by local artists, and artifacts from the Mother Road. Info
EL GRITO: One of Southern California’s largest Fiestas Patrias celebrations unfolds September 21 at Coachella’s Rancho Las Flores Park. Celebrate“El Grito” with live music and entertainment, food vendors, and a kids’ zone. Admission and parking are free. Info
WEST HOLLYWOOD ARCHIVES: At a September 30 reception at Palm Springs Woman’s Club, Angela Brinskele, communications director of the June Mazer Lesbian Archives, will discusses the history of the West Hollywood Archives and the Out of the Box photography exhibition. Info
HISPANIC ART: To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, The Local Art Collective presents the Hispanic Heritage Art Exhibit, opening September 21 at its space in the Indio Grand Marketplace. Info
FILM
LIT FLICKS: The third event in UCR Palm Desert’s Lit Flicks series, which showcases book-to-screen adaptations, continues its celebration of Jane Austen with a September 18 screening of Pride and Prejudice, followed by a brief discussion of the adaptation. Info
OUTDOOR FILM: Sunnylands Center and Gardens and Palm Springs International Film Society present Films on the Great Lawn, a free outdoor movie series featuring classic 1950s science fiction films:Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Sep. 13), War of the Worlds(Sep. 20), and The Thing (Sep. 27).
CINEMA DIVERSE: The 12th annual Cinema Diverse — featuring a variety of LGBTQ feature and short films from around the world — rolls September 19–22 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center and September 27–28 at the Mary Pickford Theatre in Cathedral City.
MUSIC & STAGE
SAVANNAH SIPPING SOCIETY: In this laugh-a-minute show from the comedic minds of The Golden Girls, four Southern women set off on hilarious misadventures to reclaim their enthusiasm for life. Savannah Sipping Society, presented by Desert TheatreWorks, runs September 6–22 at Indio Performing Arts Center. Info
PETER PAN: The classic tale of a young boy who refuses to grow up opens the season at Palm Canyon Theatre in Palm Springs from September 20 to 29. Info
WHO’S AFRAID OF OPERA? The Palm Springs Opera Guild presents the first in a three-part series of lectures on opera September 24 at the Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory. San Francisco Opera’s Dramaturg Emeritus Kip Cranna will illustrate how opera got started and how it continues to stir souls and touch hearts. Info
