LQAF’s first initiative was creating an annual arts festival in a village-like setting. The inaugural Celebration of the Arts at the Desert Club Resort in March 1983 featured 50 artists and drew 1,476 patrons. The event evolved into the successful La Quinta Arts Festival and, over almost four decades, tallied $64 million in art sales, supporting the livelihood of thousands of artists and providing scholarships to local college students.

Ranked #1 Fine Art Festival in the Nation, La Quinta Arts Festival was held on the spectacular grounds of the La Quinta Civic Center Campus, a short drive from legendary Palm Springs, California. La Quinta Civic Center Campus is a life-size picture postcard framed by majestic mountains, lush green lawns, and fountain lakes — a magnificent outdoor gallery extolled by Art Fair Sourcebook as, “The most stunning festival site in the country.” Hosting 220 of the foremost contemporary artists in the nation, our four-day event gave its patrons an unparalleled cultural experience with amenities that included daily music, performance art, and trendy food concessions in upscale Restaurant Row, plus craft beers and fine wines.

In 2019, the Art foundation decided to put its funds elsewhere and cease hosting the art festival in its current form. Plans are in the works to reimagine the festival and more closely align it with our strategic plan and vision.

Since 2019, the City of La Quinta has promoted its own festival called the La Quinta Arts Celebration which is unrelated to the La Quinta Arts Festival or the Foundation. Any questions concerning the La Quinta Art Celebration should be directed to the City of La Quinta at 760.777.7000 or to the event producer Scope Events at info@scopeevents.org or call 760.628.7770.