# Desert X

Desert X is an internationally recognized contemporary art platform that activates the landscapes of the Coachella Valley through ambitious, site-specific installations that respond to place, environment, culture, and community.

## Organization facts

- **Organization:** Desert X
- **Legal name:** THE DESERT BIENNIAL
- **Organization type:** 501(c)(3) nonprofit
- **EIN:** 30-0852223
- **IRS 501(c)(3) ruling:** 2015
- **Headquarters:** Palm Springs, California
- **Primary cause:** Arts & Culture
- **IRS classification:** NTEE A20 — Arts & Culture
- **Cause confirmed by:** organization's own category selection on its CV Giving Day profile ('Arts & Culture')
- **CV Giving Day status:** 2026 participant
- **Official website:** https://desertx.org
- **Giving page:** https://www.mightycause.com/organization/DesertX

## About Desert X

Desert X is an internationally recognized contemporary art platform that activates the landscapes of the Coachella Valley through ambitious, site-specific installations that respond to place, environment, culture, and community. Rooted in principles of creative innovation, cultural exchange, and accessibility, Desert X champions art that engages with the desert’s histories, ecology, and the lived experiences of Indigenous and local communities while opening dialogue across cultures and perspectives.
Since its inaugural exhibition in 2017, Desert X has presented five biennial exhibitions across the Coachella Valley, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors and putting the region on the map as a global destination for contemporary art. 2027 will mark the 10th anniversary and a major milestone for art in the region.
Conceived as an open, self-guided outdoor experience, each Desert X exhibition invites audiences to encounter site-responsive works from multiple vantage points within the landscape. These exhibitions are supported by a robust calendar of public programs developed in partnership with local educators, cultural organizations, city governments, and community groups.
Desert X’s year-round offerings expand access to contemporary art through specialized arts training for high school students, workforce development opportunities including internships and fellowships, bilingual educational resources, artist talks and performances, family workshops, and the training and support of over 100 community volunteers. Expanded learning initiatives such as the Desert X Art Club, Classroom Intensives, and Field Trips connect young audiences directly with creative practice and critical thinking.
Programs like Desert r&d — launched in Spring 2024 with Palm Springs Art Museum — bring together panels, workshops, discussions, and studio visits that are free and open to the public. During each exhibition, Community Weekends deepen engagement through artist panels, guided hikes with desert experts, Q&A sessions, and shared journeys to artwork sites.
Through visionary art commissions and inclusive programming, Desert X strengthens the cultural ecosystem of the Coachella Valley while fostering meaningful global conversations about art, environment, and belonging.

## Record

- **Verified:** Identity confirmed against IRS records. Participation confirmed against CV Giving Day registration. Public information compiled from the organization's own sources. Organizations that have indicated a preference against search indexing on their CV Giving Day registration are excluded from search indexing and from this site's sitemap. A cause may come from the organization's own category selection, from its IRS classification, or from CV Giving Day review; the source is always stated on the page and in this record.
- **Participation years on record:** 2025, 2026
- **Years covered by our records:** 2025, 2026 (absence of a year does not mean the organization did not participate)
- **Last reviewed:** August 19, 2026
- **Canonical page:** https://www.cvgiving.org/nonprofits/desert-x/
- **Provided by:** Desert Community Foundation (501(c)(3), EIN 95-4725924)