Show Preview | Civic Center Campus: La Quinta Arts Festival

La Quinta, CA
March 6-9

Around the Bend by Charles Tersolo.

This story was featured in the March 2014 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art March 2014 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story!

The 32nd annual La Quinta Arts Festival returns this month with 230 exhibiting artists in various media. The festival is held in the 13-acre Civic Center Campus in the Coachella Valley, considered one of “the most stunning sites in the nation to have an art festival.” The show has built a reputation for excellence both in the artwork it presents and through its mission of supporting, promoting, and cultivating arts in the community.

The four-day show features paintings, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, and more—with 11 categories of art being presented as well as live entertainment, there’s something for everyone. “We’ve had a lot of applicants and a lot of new artists from across the nation,” explains events manager Kathleen Hughes. “We’re definitely not just a regional show, which makes us different than any other art show in the Southwest area.”

Spring’s Gentle Awakening by Teresa Saia.

This year’s featured artists include last year’s Best in Show winner Teresa Saia, mixed-media artist John Ha, and sculptor Jason Napier. “Jason is a wildlife bronze sculptor. He has participated in this festival since 2004, and he’s extremely popular with the patrons—every year he is a consistently high seller,” Hughes says. “And because of where we live, outdoor sculpture is as popular as indoor. Every year people look forward to what Jason is going to do.”

As the show continues to grow and the variety of art exhibited continues to expand, one thing stays the same—its commitment to the community. By providing educational art programs for youth and donating money toward scholarship programs for aspiring artists, the La Quinta Arts Festival hopes to inspire a love of art throughout the community. —Joe Kovack