by Branda Ayo
When people visit a new place, one of the first questions they ask is, "What is there to do here?" While restaurants, landmarks, and festivals are often at the top of the list, public art can be one of the best ways to get to know a destination. Whether it's a mural on a city street or a sculpture in a park, art can tell visitors about the people, history, and culture that make a place unique.
For many visitors to Greater Palm Springs, the city of Indio is best known for Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and Stagecoach Country Music Festival. But it’s also home to an outdoor gallery of large-scale public art. Every sculpture has a story, from the artist who created it to the ideas that inspired it and ultimately brought it to life. Learning those stories gives visitors a better understanding of the artwork and the community that inspires it.
Before we got to see any of the art, we met with art program curator Rafi Lehrer at a coffee shop in downtown Indio to learn more about the process and how his team chooses the artist. Matcha in hand, he led us through the neighborhood, stopping every few blocks to point out sculptures, talk about the artists behind them, and explain how some of Coachella's most recognizable installations found a permanent home long after the festival ended.
Over the next hour, our conversation drifted between architecture, festivals, travel, and even how he met his wife during the early days of the pandemic. It felt less like a formal tour and more like exploring the city with someone who had spent years helping shape it. Rafi has worked on Coachella's art program for the past 10 years. Before that, he ran an artist's studio as head of production, where he met Coachella art director Paul Clemente. After years working with Goldenvoice on Coachella, Stagecoach, and other festivals, he launched Public Art Company in 2020 and continues to oversee large-scale installations across festivals, corporate campuses, and public spaces.
That experience shapes the way he thinks about public art. "There should be an immediacy to the work," he told us. Whether it's the subject matter, color, form, or pattern, people should be able to connect with it right away. "It should be accessible, especially if it's public art."
One of the main goals of Coachella's art program is to create artwork that people can connect with right away. Rafi explained that while some art can feel too abstract, public art should be easy to understand. Whether it's through its size, color, shape, or pattern, each piece is designed to catch people's attention and spark curiosity. There may be a deeper meaning behind the work, but visitors don't need to be art experts to enjoy it.
One of the permanent pieces visitors can see is “The Messengers.” Designed by an artist from Sri Lanka and built with the help of local carpenters, welders, painters, and other skilled workers, the installation features towering retro robot-like figures inspired by trips the artist took with his father throughout Southeast Asia. The work incorporates details drawn from temple architecture and cultural symbols found throughout the region.
Another piece Rafi pointed out was a pavilion by architect Francis Kéré, inspired by the baobab tree. Located near the festival grounds, it’s one of his favorite installations in the city and an example of the kind of large-scale architectural work the program hopes to continue bringing to the Coachella Valley.
Beyond “The Messengers” and the pavilion, visitors can find permanent installations throughout Indio, including pieces near parks, public gathering spaces, and other community areas. With more works planned in the coming years, the collection continues to grow beyond the festival itself.
The Coachella Valley's desert landscape is the perfect place for the large-scale public art Rafi has spent the last 10 years helping bring to life. Walking through Indio with him made each sculpture feel more meaningful because every piece had a story. Earlier that day, learning about the history of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians at the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza in Palm Springs helped put those stories into context. Together, the region's history, culture, and public art offer visitors a deeper understanding of what makes Greater Palm Springs unique.
By activating public spaces, Rafi has created more for the community than an aesthetic feel. Farmers markets, community gatherings, food truck events, and festivals frequently take place around these artworks, turning them into local fixtures for residents and visitors.
The impact far exceeds the cultural meaning by reinvesting the visibility to create more opportunities for residents. According to figures shared by the Coachella organization, the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and Stagecoach Country Music Festival generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually for the local economy while supporting thousands of temporary jobs throughout the Coachella Valley.
As new installations continue to arrive across the destination, the evolving public art landscape offers visitors another reason to experience Greater Palm Springs and its creative energy year-round.