“A six-week exhibition of art on El Paseo in 1992 sparked an idea for Palm Desert’s City Council: A continually refreshed display of sculptures along the median of the town’s main shopping and dining corridor would support businesses and enhance people’s experiences there. So in 1993, the city installed seven concrete pads and lighting for monumental works.
“The City Council was so forward thinking,” says Erica Powell, the Palm Desert staff member who oversees the city’s public art collection and programs. “Mayor Dick Kelly said this would be the best money the city ever spent.”
The late mayor’s belief has proved true. The El Paseo Sculpture Exhibition has gained the attention of the artists’ community and now features a collection of 18 works that rotates every two years. A public celebration officially opens the latest exhibition on Feb. 3 p.m. at The Gardens on El Paseo (gather near the fountain at 4 p.m.), coinciding with the monthly First Fridays event on El Paseo, which features live entertainment, a classic car cruise, and an art walk highlighting the boulevard’s numerous galleries…”
