Installations at Donald Judd’s Chinati Foundation

Marfa and El Paso, Texas

MARCH 11–MARCH 16, 2026
PRICE: $4650 PER PERSON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY

We are thrilled to announce our next travel adventure to Marfa and El Paso, Texas! Pack your cowboy boots and join trip leaders Joanna Pinsky and Sarah Packer to explore two West Texas destinations that are unexpected centers for unique visual art. Experience it all in greater depth through Art Encounter’s interactive, engaging, and expertly-led discussions.

This trip is currently at capacity for registration. Please email sarah@artencounter.org if you wish to be added to the waitlist.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

  • Monumental sculpture at the Chinati Foundation

  • Tour of Donald Judd’s home and studio

  • The internationally-recognized Ballroom Marfa

  • The iconic Prada Marfa and other site-specific installations

  • Rich cultural art and heritage in the border city of El Paso

  • Tour of El Paso’s outstanding murals

  • Exclusive visits to artists' homes and studios

  • Leo Villareal’s breathtaking Star Ceiling

  • Special guided “Star Party” at the famous McDonald Observatory

  • Traditional West Texas cuisine and the finest accommodations

    …and more!

Prada Marfa, an installation by artist team Elmgreen & Dragset

ITINERARY

GIANT by John Cerney; photo by Robert Harkness

Discover astonishing, thought-provoking art in the tiny town of Marfa, located in the middle of the Texas desert. Dubbed “The Coolest Art Town in America” by Vogue Magazine, it has become a draw for working artists, galleries, and museums. Marfa is home to the famous Chinati Foundation, founded on a former army base in 1986 by world-renowned sculptor Donald Judd, who was seeking an environment with vast, open vistas to produce huge indoor and outdoor installations. The museum now funds artists’ residencies and houses extraordinary permanent installations and sculptures by premier artists including Robert Irwin, Richard Long, Dan Flavin, Roni Horn, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Next, experience another internationally-recognized non-collection art museum with a visit to Ballroom Marfa, which commissions projects from musicians and filmmakers in addition to showing site-specific, site-inspired works on the outskirts of town, such as Elmgreen and Dragset’s Prada store. Explore extraordinary sculptures that integrate the desert environment across the town, and meet artists in their studios to find out why they choose to live and work in this remote community. Enjoy the gorgeous night skies away from city lights, and join a guided “Star Party” at the University of Texas’ McDonald Observatory amphitheater in Fort Davis.

Work by El Paso artist Jesus "Cimi" Alvarado

Before heading to Marfa, we will meet in the border town of El Paso, Marfa’s closest city, which features a unique blend of Mexican and United States cultures. This small city has a remarkably large budget for the arts, resulting in exciting public sculptures and over 100 murals. Get to know the history and focus of these incredible murals on a private tour led by a prominent muralist. Home to the University of Texas El Paso, the city also boasts three prominent art centers, including the Stanlee and Gerald Rubin Center at the UTEP, the Mexican American Cultural Center, and the newly-renovated El Paso Museum of Art, which features Leo Villareal’s breathtaking new 24-hour installation Star Ceiling. In nearby San Elizario, learn about Chicano culture on our visit to notable artist Gaspar Enriquez’s adobe home, studio, and gallery. And at Thomason General Hospital, discover an inspiring chapel ceiling by Annabel Livermore, the alter-ego of artist James Magee. His astounding monumental artwork The Hill is located 70 miles east in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Details are subject to change.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

The Plaza Pioneer Park, El Paso
Located near the El Paso Museum of Art and housed in a beautifully-restored Art Deco building, the Plaza Pioneer Park is the city's only Michelin Key hotel. With its stunning rooftop views and locally-inspired design, the Plaza offers an unforgettable stay.

Hotel Saint George, Marfa
The Hotel Saint George, with its graceful simplicity, channels Marfa's unique minimalist landscape while offering luxe amenities and the most spacious, artfully-designed accommodations in town.

PRICE DETAILS

Cost per person double occupancy: $4650
Single room supplement: $825

Cost includes: 5 nights hotel accommodations, 4 dinner, 4 lunches, 5 breakfasts, executive coach bus service, all guided tours and entry fees, "Star Party" at the McDonald Observatory, group transfer to El Paso airport from Marfa

Cost does not include: airfare, transfers from El Paso airport to hotel, trip insurance, porter tips, alcohol, or incidental room charges

Deposit of $1000 required to reserve registration.

Ready to register? Email sarah@artencounter.org to pay your deposit and complete registration.

Work by Marfa artists Leslie Wilkes, left, and Julie Speed, right

Trip Leaders: This trip will be led by Art Encounter’s Artistic Director and Co-founder Joanna Pinsky and Public and Member Programs Manager Sarah Packer.

Activity Level: Participants should be comfortable independently walking and standing for more than an hour at a time, climbing and descending stairs, and walking on uneven surfaces. 

Questions? Email sarah@artencounter.org.