It’s that time of year again, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival returns in full force, and beyond the headline performances, 2026’s edition is once again transforming the desert into an open-air gallery.
This year, Public Art Company (PAC) leads the artistic vision, bringing a new series of immersive installations to the Indio grounds. Curated by PAC founder Raffi Lehrer alongside Goldenvoice art director Paul Clemente, the program responds directly to the surrounding desert—playing with light, scale, and atmosphere while inviting festivalgoers to pause, explore, and engage.
As Lehrer explains, the works are designed not just to be seen, but experienced: entered, sat within, and felt—blurring the line between sculpture and environment.
“Maze” by Sabine Marcelis
Inspired by the natural contours of the Coachella Valley, Maze is a vibrant inflatable structure formed from flowing PVC walls. Its soft, canyon-like shapes create intimate pathways and shaded pockets for reflection.
By day, it shimmers like a desert mirage, diffusing light and sound. By night, it transforms into a glowing oasis—radiating color from within and offering a surreal escape from the festival’s intensity.
“Starry Eyes” by Kyriakos Chatziparaskevas
Drawing inspiration from the native barrel cactus, Starry Eyes reimagines the desert plant as towering, pleated structures rising up to 40 feet.
Visitors can step inside these sculptural “cacti,” where gradients of color and filtered light create shaded sanctuaries—moments of calm amid the festival’s energy.
“Visage Brut” by Los Angeles Design Group (LADG)
Created by LADG, led by Andrew Holder and Claus Benjamin Freyinger, Visage Brut is a striking tower of geometric forms that appear to teeter on the edge of structural collapse.
Composed of warped, folded, and stacked volumes, the piece evolves throughout the day—shifting from a solid, monolithic presence into a delicate lattice as light fades, echoing themes of urban form and transformation.
Art as Experience
Together, these installations form an interactive “art playground” across the festival grounds—spaces to rest, reflect, and reconnect between sets. Rooted in the desert’s shifting light and energy, they elevate Coachella beyond music into a fully immersive cultural experience.
For those heading to Weekend 2, the installations remain on view from April 17–19, continuing to invite audiences into moments of wonder, play, and sensory exploration in the heart of Indio.