Modernism Week announced that its recent 11-day festival in February 2024 and its four-day festival in October 2023 provided an opportunity for dozens of local Greater Palm Springs organizations and neighborhood groups to produce events that raised significant funds from ticket sales proceeds for official Modernism Week events. These events included neighborhood tours, parties, educational talks, and other programs. They enabled the organizations to contribute to local Greater Palm Springs charities or to fund civic improvements with the proceeds raised by the programs. During Modernism Week – October and Modernism Week 2024, participating partner organizations raised $2,521,641. This includes more than $864,562 in funds raised by local neighborhood organizations from home tours (up more than nearly $200,000 from the previous year).
Modernism Week offers scholarships aimed at supporting students pursuing studies in architecture, design, and related fields. These scholarships provide financial assistance to deserving individuals and help foster the next generation of talent in the industry. Modernism Week continued to support its long-standing scholarship program by awarding fourteen scholarships, a new record for the organization, to deserving Greater Palm Springs students who have chosen educational paths in the fields of architecture or design-related programs. The scholarships, which this year will total $67,500, include $6,250 of matching funds from One Future Greater Palm Springs, an organization that supports Modernism Week scholarship recipients. Since the Modernism Week scholarship program was initiated in 2011, more than $350,000 has been awarded.
“Awarding the Modernism Week scholarships is one of the most meaningful outcomes of our festivals each year,” said Lisa Vossler Smith, Chief Executive Officer. “Supporting our local students from the Greater Palm Springs and helping them receive the education and training they need to be successful in their lives is a top priority for our organization and one of the many ways Modernism Week invests in the community.”
Helping Neighborhoods and Organizations Raise Funds
Modernism Week works closely with local neighborhood organizations and residential communities to showcase the design of iconic Palm Springs residences and other architecturally significant buildings during tours in many of the city’s 52 official neighborhoods and neighboring cities. Most neighborhood organizations reinvested the proceeds from the tours into their neighborhoods through architectural restoration, improving infrastructure, or landscape improvements. This year, Modernism Week featured a record number of 35 tours in these neighborhoods.
These popular tours featured approximately 156 residences, attracting more than 10,000 participants. Palm Springs neighborhood and condo community tours available during Modernism Week 2024 included Calypso Palms, Canyon Estates, Canyon View Estates, Country Club Estates, Desert Lanai 4, El Rancho Vista Estates, Historic Tennis Club, Indian Canyons Resort, Kings Point, Little Beverly Hills, Mesquite Canyon Estates, Park Imperial North, Park Imperial South, Racquet Club Cottages West, Racquet Club Estates, Royal Hawaiian Estates, Sandcliff, Seven Lakes Golf and Country Club, Sunmor Estates, Sunrise Park, Tahquitz Creek, The Four Hundred, The Ocotillo Lodge, Twin Palms, Villa Alejo, Villa de Las Palmas, and Vista Las Palmas.
This year, Rancho Mirage offered five tours: Chalet Palms, Cody Court, Tamarisk Country Club produced by Preservation Mirage, Tamarisk Ranchos, and Tamarisk West. A tour of Sandpiper & Marrakesh Country Club in Palm Desert and a unique walking tour of the Joshua Tree Retreat Center were also available.
“The Little Beverly Hills Neighborhood Organization was delighted to donate most of the proceeds of our Modernism Week tour to several deserving area nonprofit organizations,” said LBHNO Communications Officer Brian Ramos. “We were very pleased with the turnout for our sold-out tour this year, which allowed us to showcase some of our neighborhood’s amazing midcentury architecture. We are honored to be able to share our proceeds with our important community partners.”
Many neighborhoods raised funds specifically to donate to local charities, including:
- El Rancho Vista Estates: The neighborhood is exploring options with the arts commissioner to purchase and donate sculptures for an adjacent park.
- Historic Tennis Club: $12,000 was donated to these non-profit organizations: Palm Springs Police Department, the Palm Springs Fire Department, Find Food Bank, Plaza Theatre Foundation, Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs, and Oswit Land Trust.
- Little Beverly Hills Neighborhood Organization: Donated $7,500 to three community non-profits (Palm Springs Modern Committee, The Foundation for Palm Springs Unified School District, and St. Theresa’s Church). An additional $10,000 is earmarked for Oswit Land Trust for their restoration and preservation efforts at the Prescott Preserve.
- Mesquite Canyon Estates: Donated proceeds to: The Foundation – PSUSD’s Classroom Grant Program, PS ModCom’s and Robert Imber Scholarship Fund. The remainder of the funds will support the community’s desert landscaping initiative to maintain its beautiful grounds while reducing water usage.
- Racquet Club Estates: Funds were donated to Palm Springs Boys & Girls Club, Palm Springs Cultural Center, Plaza Theatre Foundation, Palm Springs Animal Shelter, Vista Del Mar Elementary (for needed school supplies). Additional funds will be used to purchase needed items for the local fire station.
- Sunmor Estates: Funds will be donated to the Friends of the Palm Springs Public Library, Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, and the Plaza Theater Foundation.
- Sunrise Park: $3,000 of the funds raised will be donated to local charities.
- Tamarisk Country Club produced by Preservation Mirage: Funds raised from the tour are being used for ongoing work in the Rancho Mirage community to educate and advocate for architectural preservation, including the historic designation and full restoration of the 1966 Pink Elephant Rancho Super Car Wash sign in partnership with the city. This beloved sign will now be preserved for future generations to enjoy.
- Vista Las Palmas: Over the past 12 months, the VLPNF has donated to the Community Food Bank at The Center, the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, and the Palm Springs Unified School District.
Many neighborhoods raised funds to reinvest in their communities and their surrounding neighborhood. These included:
- Calypso Palms: Funds will be used to repaint the complex.
- Canyon Estates: Funds will likely help refurbish the clubhouse kitchen and/or fund the replacement of the period-appropriate metal sun umbrellas around the pools.
- Canyon View Estates: The Finale: Funds were used for landscape lighting improvements and general landscaping improvements.
- Canyon View Estates: Cinematic Modernism: Five HOAs split the proceeds. The funds will be used for an irrigation project, financing the replacement of aging city water mains, turf removal, and landscaping.
- Canyon View Estates -The Finale: A portion of both the 2023 funds and 2024 funds paid for the complete resurfacing of the pool and spa.
- Chalet Palms: Proceeds will be used for the continued preservation of the complex.
- Cody Court: The funds financed new landscaping, a new pool and spa heater, and updated pool decking.
- Country Club Estates: Funds will be used for capital improvements in the complex.
- Desert Lanai 4: Funds were used to repair existing stucco.
- Joshua Tree Retreat Center: Funds will be utilized to improve various areas of the center, including new paint, repair work on several buildings, and landscaping.
- Park Imperial North: Funds were used to update the south pool area, which included replacing the colored screens around the patio enclosure to match the north pool and repainting the structure.
- Park Imperial South: Funds will help preserve the property and finance landscaping updates that reflect the community’s original design intent.
- Royal Hawaiian Estates: Funds are being used for driveway repairs and resealing of asphalt.
- Sandcliff: The community will use the funds to purchase a National Register plaque for the property and restore the midcentury pendant globe fixtures in the pool loggias.
- Sandpiper: Funds were used to add new drought-resistant landscaping, landscape gravel, and lighting, refurbish the shuffleboard court, restore the 1960 putting green area, and repaint all the front doors.
- Seven Lakes Golf and Country Club: Funds were used to pay for a survey company to find out the needs of the residents.
- Tamarisk West: The community replaced aging pool furniture and added plants to landscaping.
- The Four Hundred: Funds raised will go toward replacing the roof for the community.
- The Ocotillo Lodge: Funds will be applied to the restoration of the historic clubhouse.
- Twin Palms: Funds were used to finance a free community library and added to the utility funds.
- Villa Alejo: Funds were allocated to buy paint and brushes for a day of volunteer painting, upgrade the elevator, and pay for a volunteer award celebration.
- Villa de Las Palmas: Funds were used for pool resurfacing and the community’s extensive xeriscaping project.
- Tamarisk West: Replaced aging pool furniture and added plants to landscaping.
In addition to working with neighborhoods, Modernism Week, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, also provides the opportunity for other local organizations to raise funds. Ticket proceeds for official Modernism Week events these businesses and organizations produced in 2023-2024 generated more than $1.1 million for various local partner organizations which included Palm Springs Historical Society, Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs Modern Committee, Palm Springs Preservation Foundation, Sunnylands, Palm Springs Cultural Center, Historical Society of Palm Desert, and the Palm Springs Public Library.
“Modernism Week has a long-standing history of helping other organizations raise funds to benefit the local community,” said William Kopelk, Modernism Week Board Chairman. “One of the most important outcomes of Modernism Week events each year is the opportunity for our neighborhood and partner organizations to raise funds to support preservation, education, civic improvements, or to reinvest back into other local charities. The tours and events produced by partner organizations also allow them to showcase their neighborhoods and organizations to national and international visitors.”
Later this year, Modernism Week will offer its annual Modernism Week – October event from October 24-27, 2024 (tickets go on sale August 1, 2024) and will stage its 20th Anniversary Modernism Week event February 13-23, 2025 (tickets go on sale November 1, 2024).
For more information about future Modernism Week events, visit www.modernismweek.com and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
