Palm Springs: Cultural Oasis
Not any more. Along with the cacti and azaleas blooms a full-fledged arts and culture scene. Chalk it up to a combination of Old Hollywood legacies, attractive real estate prices, and a tourist industry seeking new ways of drawing visitors.
By far, the most spectacular example of this is Palapas at Araby Cove. Starting life as the Neel Nursery over 50 years ago, the owners have inserted working artists’ studios throughout the shaded, well-groomed grounds. Visitors can now come and see artwork being made, view sculptures and installations, and talk to the artists about their craft. It is a fascinating place, as exquisite gardens mesh with artistic expression, from glassblowing to sculpture to poetry.
While Palapas shows off many of the visual arts, the Nortel Networks Palm Springs International Film Festival, held every January, brings cachet. Awards have been given to such luminaries as Nicholas Cage, Sean Connery, and Randy Newman at the festival’s black tie event. This event is followed by the International Short Film Festival in August.
Not that the arts are limited to a specific place and time in Palm Springs. In fact, one of the more ubiquitous facets of the Palm Springs arts scene is the resurgence of interest in mid-century architecture, which is readily viewable throughout the city.
Many mid-century architects, such as Albert Frey, designed many of the buildings still standing in Palm Springs today. For a double dose of the arts, visit Frey’s original “Tramway Oasis Gas Station”, which is now the Montana St. Martin Art, Design and Sculpture Gallery.
Another well-known architect of the mid-twentieth century, John Lautner, designed the home for Bob and Dolores Hope which sits atop a cliff overlooking the city. Architect E. Stewart Williams designed many notable examples of mid-century architecture in Palm Springs also, such as the Palm Springs Desert Museum and the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Mountain Station.
Also widely available is the city’s numerous public sculptures. While most visitors to Palm Springs quickly recognize the bronze sculpture of Lucille Ball that sits outside of Leeds Jewelers, there is also the “Agua Caliente Woman” by Native American artist Doug Hyde, outside the Spa Hotel and Casino. (Inside the hotel are historical photos of Cahuilla elders.)
There are also cultural treasures that await inside many buildings, and are ideal places to visit if traveling to Palm Springs during the summer, when temperatures can soar above 120 F.
The Palm Springs Desert Museum, mentioned earlier, offers ever-changing traveling exhibits, as well as permanent exhibits on William Holden and George Montgomery, actors from Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Visitors who fail to look closely may believe the Palm Springs Desert Museum is the only museum in the city, but such is not the case. The city also boasts an air museum (with a focus on World War II), the General Patton Memorial Museum (also with a World War II emphasis), and the Jude E. Poynter Golf Museum (the ideal museum to coax others off the links). Native American history is also represented, through the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum.
The McCallum Theatre is another indoor treat in Palm Springs, disproving the theory that a resident company is required to offer the best in opera, dance, and classical music. The performing arts season, which begins in September and runs through July, features appearances by the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Pilobous Dance Theatre, and classical performer Joshua Bell.
While the arts and cultural activities available in Palm Springs is already large, it appears to be growing. Perhaps that news is not so surprising when considering the city’s plethora of nightclubs offering jazz, salsa, and much more beyond the oh-so-typical disco or rock.
For top music acts (such as k.d. lang), try Muriel’s Supper Club in downtown Palm Springs. Ruthie’s Place in nearby Palm Desert features jazz, as does Blue Guitar in Palm Springs.
While some may compare this cultural renaissance to Santa Fe, Palm Springs does it with its own inimitable style. Unlike other cultural meccas, Palm Springs has a casual, almost laid back, approach to its culture that welcomes everyone and eschews class isolation for inclusiveness. The city’s compact size make reaching most events ridiculously easy, too. With such easy access and welcoming residents, it seems that, rather than Palm Springs finally finding an arts and culture niche, arts and culture has finally found its best presentation via Palm Springs.
