The Palm Springs Cultural Center has been serving the Coachella Valley since 2007. Founded by the late philanthropists Ric and Rozene Supple, its mission: “The Palm Springs Cultural Center incubates, produces and encourages arts and cultural programs in order to leverage the unique power of creativity.”
Nowhere else in the Coachella Valley is there a place with so many artistic endeavors happening under one roof. The Cultural Center hosts art-house film screenings, cabaret performances, exhibitions, educational programs and community events. It’s the home of Cinema Diverse, the Palm Springs LGBTQ+ film festival; at least three theater companies (Desert Ensemble Theatre, The Bent and the Inner Circle Theatre Company); the Palm Springs Speaks series; multiple cabaret series—and more, all at the place formerly known as the Camelot Theatres.
Michael Green, executive director of the Cultural Center, said there had been discussions about converting Theater 3 from a regular movie theater into a live theater/performance space for years. “We finished the conversion just before the pandemic hit,” he said. “In fact, we were building the sets for the second production when we had to shut everything down. Having been closed for 18 months continues to be a challenge for us.”
The Cultural Center isn’t just a home for performing arts. Visual art lovers can check out the Cultural Center’s upstairs gallery, where rotating exhibitions highlight the work of local artists.
Beyond its commitment to the arts, the center is deeply rooted in the community. It hosts various community events, including farmers’ markets, festivals and interactive movie screenings. It also is frequently a space for mini-film festivals focusing on particular directors or subjects, like the popular “Fellini Retrospective” or “Machine Dreams: A Cinematic Voyage Into the World of AI.” In this way, the Palm Springs Cultural Center plays an integral role in fostering a sense of belonging and pride within our community.
All of this is not without its challenges. While the Supples gave the nonprofit Cultural Center the building, they did not give it an endowment. Like all arts organizations, it relies on fundraising to both sustain and to innovate.
“This is an old building that costs a lot to maintain,” Green said. “People in the community think the Supples left us an endowment as well as the building, so we have to educate the public as to why we need to raise money.”
In addition to its cultural endeavors, the Palm Springs Cultural Center is also committed to environmental sustainability. It’s the parent organization for the Palm Springs and Palm Desert Certified Farmers’ Markets, and the nonprofit has pursued sustainability in other ways, such installing as solar panels on the roof.
“We are, at heart, a cultural center, and we all need to be cognizant about sustainability to ensure culture can continue,” Green said.
If you have never had the chance to attend an event at the Cultural Center, check out the upcoming programming, as there is an offering for virtually every taste. Oh, and the Cultural Center serves food and has a full bar. If you are a fan of popcorn, make sure you get some, as the concession stand uses real butter!
The Palm Springs Cultural Center is located at 2300 E. Baristo Road, in Palm Springs. For more information, visit psculturalcenter.org.
