By Crystal Harrell
The La Quinta Art Celebration- November 11-14, 2021 will return after a twenty month pandemic hiatus since its inaugural event in March 2020. The event will be an outdoor showcase of 200 world-class, jury-selected artists originating from 32 states and five countries to exhibit their original artworks. Their styles range from classical to whimsical and span 10 media categories including 2D Mixed Media, 3D Mixed Media, Ceramics, Drawing & Pastel, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Painting, Photography, Sculpture and Wood.
La Quinta Art Celebration is presented by SCOPE Events, LLC. Proclaimed as the Coachella Valley’s signature art event, the La Quinta Art Celebration will take place at the picturesque La Quinta Civic Center. The hours for the fall show are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, to take full advantage of autumn desert sunshine. The La Quinta Art Celebration will resume its early spring schedule in 2022, running from March 3rd through the 6th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“The City of La Quinta has a tradition of being an art destination and it is part of their DNA. So it is only appropriate that it host a premier art event annually. The Civic Center Park was built with this event in mind. The City is not only the Premier Sponsor of La Quinta Art Celebration but also a dedicated partner for this event. SCOPE Events, LLC is honored to be affiliated with a city that has such passion for the arts,” said Event Director, Kathleen Hughes.
The La Quinta Art Celebration will offer patrons a variety of upscale amenities that include live music, gourmet dining from popular local restaurants, and premium top-shelf beverages. Daily live entertainment will feature favorite local performers such as Scott Carter at 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the Amphitheater stage and Michael Anthony Gagliardi from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Celebration Bistro. Headlining on the Amphitheater stage from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. are Southern California music legends, Rideshare on Friday, The Smooth Brothers on Saturday, and The Art of Sax on Sunday.
“The overall experience is amazing! Art is very personal and this event offers the very best whether one is seeking traditional, contemporary, whimsical or realistic. We have 10-foot bronze sculptures and intricate jewelry. There is literally something for everyone and all is extremely high quality,” stated Hughes.
Over 1000 artists applied to this year’s La Quinta Art Celebration and 200 have been invited. Artists must apply through an online application process called ZAPPLICATION. They must jury into the event and they are evaluated not only on their art but on their outdoor booth display. Competition is challenging for this event, as it is already nationally acclaimed by the invited artists and not a regional or local art show.
The La Quinta Art Celebration has three featured artists in 2021: Daryl Thetford from Tennessee who has created two posters for the event, and other featured artists Kristin DeSantis from Colorado and Catherine Dzialo-Haller from Laguna Beach designed the event t-shirts.
Thetford has created two new original works entitled “Contemporary Desert Woman,” and “The Art of the Swing,” to be rendered as commemorative posters for La Quinta Art Celebration 2021. His work has been described as graphic, modern, pop, and contemporary. His process has been called photo collage, digital art, and digital mixed media. His artistic process begins by selecting a single, original photographic image followed by a digital layering and combining dozens of additional original photographs. It is a process which takes an average of 40 hours.
DeSantis is a featured women’s t-shirt artist for the La Quinta Art Celebration with the “Gigi” design. She is a contemporary metal and mixed-media artist, with the help from her husband, Marc. Their studio is located high in the Rocky Mountains outside the small town of Allenspark, Colorado. Over the past 18 years, they have created large wall and freestanding sculptures. In the last five years, they have devoted their time and energy developing their unique line of aluminum and resin jewelry.
Catherine Dzialo-Haller is a featured men’s t-shirt artist with the “CA Dreaming” design. She is a self-proclaimed contemporary realist, who paints abstractly. Dzialo-Haller also teaches art to grammar school children through ArtReach, a special non-profit organization that takes professional artists into elementary schools throughout San Diego County to provide standards-based, visual art workshops.
“The event is a perfect way to stroll this 10-acre park, sip champagne or Ketel One cocktails, and enjoy a celebration that has been created with the Coachella Valley in mind. The Celebration Bistro offers upscale dining experience with tables under umbrellas and fabulous wines from California and France. Keep your mind open and explore the explosion of color and texture. The creativity is always overwhelming to me,” expressed Hughes.
Admission price for the La Quinta Art Celebration is $20.00 for one day, or $25.00 for a Multi-Day Pass. Children under 12 get in for free. Paid self-parking for $10.00 dollars, or valet for $15.00 dollars. For more information or to purchase tickets early and avoid long lines at the gate, visit
