At 2 p.m. on a Tuesday on Calle Barcelona, Art for All's shopping window closes and its donation window opens. A box of unused watercolor paper or spare thread that arrives at 1:45 meets a store still open for shopping. One that arrives at 2:15 meets the hour set aside for taking supplies in. The store keeps the two jobs on separate schedules, and anyone bringing in a closet's worth of art supplies needs to know which one they're walking into.
Art for All is the Coachella Valley's first creative reuse center. Old Town Artisan Studios runs it from its home at 78046 Calle Barcelona, and it held its ribbon-cutting on Tuesday, September 1, according to KESQ's report ahead of the opening. It's now in its second month. The shelves hold only what people bring in, so the short donation schedule controls what the longer shopping schedule has to offer.
Eleven Hours to Shop, Four to Give
The Art for All page on the studio's website lists shopping and drop-off as separate schedules. Side by side, they look like this:
| Day | Shopping hours | Donation drop-off |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. | None listed |
| Saturday | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | 10 a.m. to noon |
Shopping adds up to 11 hours a week across three days. Drop-off adds up to 4 hours across two. KESQ's September 24 follow-up gave the same donation windows, Tuesdays from 2 to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon.
The two schedules meet differently on each day. On Tuesday, drop-off starts the minute shopping ends. On Saturday, the two run at the same time for the first two hours. From noon to 2 p.m. the store is open for shopping only. Wednesday has the only evening hours of the week, and that day is shopping only.
So for a donor, Saturday morning is the one time to drop off a box and then browse during the same visit. Tuesday afternoon works if you only need to drop off. Wednesday evening is for shopping. Neither source gives a last-updated date for these hours, so checking the studio's page before a trip is worthwhile, especially around the holidays.
Why the Shelves Depend on Those Four Hours
Everything for sale was donated. KESQ described the store as selling donated art and craft materials on a pay-what-you-can model, with the goal of "keeping unused materials out of the trash and putting them back into the hands of people who can use them."
Nothing has a price tag and there's no minimum. The studio doesn't post suggested amounts either. Shoppers pay what feels right based on what the materials are worth to them and what they can afford. The page names artists, classroom teachers, parents with a weekend project and anyone who likes to make things as the shoppers it has in mind. The Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce's ribbon-cutting listing says the store is open to the public.
The money goes back into the studio's programs. Old Town Artisan Studios says contributions at the store support scholarships, free workshops, classroom supplies and its broader mission. A partial skein of yarn dropped off on a Saturday morning can end up on a teacher's classroom shelf, and whatever the teacher pays helps fund a free workshop later in the season. The studio sums up the idea on the same page:
"Our goal is simple: give creative materials a second life and make creativity available to everyone."
The store's selection depends on donations, and donations come in only during those four weekly hours.
What Belongs in the Box
The studio's guidance is broad. It welcomes new, surplus, expired or gently used art and craft materials that it can sort, reuse and share. Photos on the store page show bins of thread spools in many colors and teachers shopping for back-to-school supplies, which gives a sense of what the shelves hold.
The studio hasn't published a list of things it won't take. Before you bring anything you're unsure about, ask whether it can be sorted and passed along. Size matters too. The page asks donors to get in touch before bringing large-volume donations so staff can work out the best way to receive the materials. For donation questions or to arrange a pickup, the contact is Nettie Roberts, whom KESQ identified as the Art for All coordinator.
The pickup option makes a difference for anyone clearing out a whole craft room, a late relative's sewing supplies or a cabinet of half-used canvases. A few bags can go in during a regular two-hour window. A full room is better arranged ahead of time.
A practical routine for donors:
- Sort materials into what is usable and what is not, keeping the studio's "sorted, reused and shared" standard in mind.
- For a carload or more, contact Nettie Roberts first about drop-off or pickup.
- For a smaller box, come on Tuesday between 2 and 4 p.m. or Saturday between 10 a.m. and noon.
- To browse too, choose Saturday, when both windows are open until noon.
The Studio Behind the Store
Art for All is a new project from an organization with a long history in La Quinta. Hoodline's opening preview reported that Old Town Artisan Studios was founded in 2009 by Victory and Richard Grund with an initial $30,000 investment to support art programs.
Donated supplies come into the same building where the studio already runs its classes and workshops. KESQ described the store's purpose in those terms, saying proceeds help support arts education and outreach across the Coachella Valley.
Where the Same Address Lands in November
The next public date at 78046 Calle Barcelona belongs to the studio side of the building. Old Town Artisan Studios holds its Holiday Art Market on Saturday, November 28, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It's free, open to the public, and works as a showcase and sale of student artwork. That's the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
The market also needs volunteers. The studio's volunteer page lists roles for November 28, including relief for student vendors, visitor help, Paint Your Own Pottery assistance and gallery docents. The store page doesn't say whether Art for All keeps its usual Saturday hours on market day. If you plan to drop off a box and see the student work on the same visit, confirm with the studio first.
Six days after the market, the city's Tree Lighting Ceremony takes place on Friday, December 4, 2026, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Civic Center Campus. The city lists it as free. Between the market and that Friday evening, the listed schedule leaves one drop-off window, Tuesday, December 1, from 2 to 4 p.m.
The Weekly Rhythm, Settled
Before you head to Calle Barcelona, decide whether the trip is for giving, shopping or both. Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon is the only time that covers both. Tuesday afternoon is for donors, and Wednesday evening is for shoppers. For anything bigger than a few bags, a call to Nettie Roberts before loading the car saves a trip.
If a move, a downsizing or a seasonal reset has left you with more than a few boxes, Tyson Hawley is glad to point you to local resources like this one as part of a broader conversation about your home. Schedule a Private Consultation whenever the timing suits you.
