We’ve been hit with a wave of cancellations one after the other over the past year, and festivals that used to be big attractions have had to either go virtual or postpone altogether. But this trend seems to be changing now, as DESERT X 2021 announced that they will be among the first major art events to return to California since it went into lockdown last year.

DESERT X 2021, curated by Desert X Artistic Director Neville Wakefield and co-curator César García-Alvarez, will explore the landscape and the desert as both a geographical location and a more open-ended idea—keeping in mind the political, social, and cultural contexts of the people who’ve made it their home.

The organizers have recently released the list of artists that will be featured, with some standouts like Judy Chicago and Felipe Baeza. All the work will be newly commissioned and meant to pose questions about the past, while also imagining possible futures. The art biennale is working on creating a safe, outdoor experience that is free and welcoming of everyone.

This is the biennale’s third installment, and is set to take place from March 12 until May 16. Judy Chicago will be continuing her “Atmosphere” series that she started in the 1960s, with a special presentation on April 9 of “Living Smoke, A Tribute to the Living Desert.” The performance is meant to “use coloured smoke and fireworks to temporarily ‘feminise’ the historically male-dominated Land Art movement.”

The curators of the biennale art festival have made sure to bring together extraordinary international and local artists to celebrate the Coachella Valley and its histories. This comes as a ray of hope in an otherwise uncertain future, where we could start imagining a future of getting together and enjoying what riches this life has to offer.

Photo via Desert X