Desert X Returns

Desert X biennial art exhibition is back in 2023 with massive outdoor art installations at various desert locations across the Coachella Valley, from Desert Hot Springs to Rancho Mirage. Visitors to Desert X often describe it as a self-guided outdoor experience or a treasure hunt where finding and interacting with the art is part of the fun. All you need is a car, a site map, and a sense of adventure. Intrigued?

The first Desert X opened in 2017 to international acclaim. Every Desert X features all-new installations based around a theme, often amplifying global and local issues ranging from climate change to Tribal culture, tourism, and immigration. The curators ask visitors to “be brave, engage their sense of adventure, and open their hearts as they seek the various art installations, paying attention not only to their physicality but also to the stories they tell: emotionally, historically, or socially.”

Desert X generally runs from March through May. Make a day of it and visit all ten exhibition locations, or just pick a few … it’s your adventure! The installations are free to visit and all but one are open daily to the general public from sunrise to sunset. Maps and programs are available on the Desert X website, at the Desert X Hub at the Ace, or download the cool Desert X app (it’s free). Desert X encourages visitors to follow official Leave No Trace guidelines: Plan ahead and prepare, walk on designated paths, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, respect wildlife, don’t smoke, and be considerate of other visitors. There are no public restrooms.

Once the biennial closes, the Desert X Map page is kept up-to-date with current locations for any installations that remain on view. So even when the biennial is on hiatus, you can still have a Desert X art adventure.