Palm Desert City Council to review 10-year loan agreement with Goldenvoice for art installation

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) - Palm Desert officials at a scheduled City Council meeting today will consider approving a 10-year loan agreement with Goldenvoice concerning an art installation that would be placed at Civic Center Park.   

At issue is Stephanie Lin's "Taffy," an artwork comprised of five vertical towers made of lightweight framing wrapped in translucent, mesh fabric, with the towers changing in color and tone as sunlight passes through them, and each standing between roughly 25 to 50 feet tall.

"Taffy" was one of the featured art installations at the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

City officials said the towers would provide economic and community benefits including a tourism boost, regional marketing, cultural branding and a long-term impact on the city. Civic Center Park, at 43900 San Pablo Ave., was identified as a prime location for visibility, accessibility and community engagement.  

Goldenvoice commissions large-scale interactive art for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, located at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, and after each festival, a number of artworks are made available for public exhibition in the Coachella Valley.

Under the proposed terms, Goldenvoice would retain ownership of "Taffy," and the city would be responsible for transportation, installation and maintenance.

An estimated cost of artwork and installation would be $180,070. An additional cost of $119,930 for landscaping, lighting, benches and foundations would total to $300,00, according to a city document.  

The city council meeting will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday at 73-510 Fred Waring Drive.

The meeting can be watched on the city's YouTube channel.