Artlands Coachella Valley, formerly The Coachella Valley Art Scene, carries on the work of cultivating a creative community using art advocacy as a platform to safely express, educate, empower and engage the Coachella Valley. We strive to create a positive economic environment for artists and the creative class. Through the use of our media based website, workshops, educational seminars, community events, art exhibitions, festivals.
To get involved in the Coachella Valley, drop us a line
History
The Coachella Valley Art Scene was founded by Sarah Scheideman in 2008 as a website and blog after she returned to the desert after graduating from UC Riverside. She noticed that the local community of emerging artists was underrepresented in the desert art scene. The website focused on developing and promoting local art, music, and culture in the Coachella Valley. After the website gained a loyal following, she began organizing events to bring the art community together.
After five years of managing the website and hosting events, The CVAS opened the doors to their first art gallery for a more tangible experience in January of 2013. The gallery served as a creative hub for the community.
During this same time period The CVAS developed and produced 111 Music Festival (in partnership with Sunline Transit Agency) and STREET – an urban art and music festival (in partnership with Westfield Palm Desert)
In 2014, the organization officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This allowed them to begin developing the art community even further with support from community members, donors, grants and corporate sponsorships.
In January of 2016, The CVAS left their first gallery space in Cathedral City to join a partnership with Westfield Palm Desert. The organization occupied vacant spaces in the mall with walls and merchandise created by local artists, along with a heavy amount of programming (music, poetry, film and more).
The CVAS continued on in this form until 2018, facilitating public art activations, and hosting exhibitions and workshops in partnership with entities such the Palm Springs Art Museum and music festivals such as Coachella, FYF Fest in Los Angeles, and Arroyo Seco Weekend in Pasadena, CA.
In 2022, The CVAS joined forces with The Artlands to form a broader network for artists and creatives that spans from the Coachella Valley, to the Inland Empire, and the high desert of Southern California and beyond.