Coachella Mural Project to be Expanded

COACHELLA CA - A mural project in Coachella that was included in the region's "Desert X" art exhibition will be expanded with three new murals in advance of next month's Coachella and Stagecoach festivals, city officials announced Monday.

The Coachella City Council's approval of a $19,000 contract with Date Farmers Art Studio will lead to new murals on the City Finance Building at 1515 Sixth St., as well as two other buildings along Grapefruit Boulevard.

The murals will join others in the Coachella Walls project, started in 2014 to revitalize the area and raise awareness of the plight of farm workers living and working in the Eastern Coachella Valley.

The project, organized by local artists Armando Lerma and Carlos Ramirez, gained national attention for the collaboration of artists from around the globe, created in dedication "to the anonymous farm worker."

Lerma also recently added to the project with "La Fiesta en el Desierto" for the Desert X exhibition, held through April in the Coachella Valley.

City officials voted to expand the Coachella Walls project in part to transform the city's "Pueblo Viejo" district into an arts destination featuring an historical and cultural walking tour, as well as engage tourists expected in the region for the annual music festivals, set for mid-April.

To view a map of the Pueblo Viejo district, visit www.coachella.org .

– By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock