Learn More Below
Public Benefit: Pop-Ups in the POPOS
Upcoming Activations + Events:
All activations are free, accessible and open to the Public.
There are currently scheduled upcoming events. Stay tuned for more in the future. You can follow Lisa Van Dusen, Organizer on EventBrite to be notified of future activations and see details about past activations.
Past Events
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Tour of Downtown Palo Alto’s Hidden Public Open Spaces
with artist Lisa Van Dusen
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Meet at Avenidas - 450 Bryant Street, Palo Alto
Details and RSVP (drop-ins welcome and anticipated)
Sunday, September 6, 2026 - Sunday, September 13, 2026
The Compliment Dept.: Text Edition
with artist Lisa Van Dusen
Anytime (all POPOS except one are open 24/7 - The (Mostly) Secret Garden is open Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm except holidays), so you can visit as many POPOS as you like on your own schedule and request a compliment atch P eaOPOS you visit.
All 12 Palo Alto POPOS - you can find a map here and more info about each of the POPOS here.
Details and RSVP - RSVPs help The Dept. know to expect you - even though you participate on your own schedule.
Saturday, August 8, 2026
The Compliment Dept.: Office Hours
with artist Lisa Van Dusen
9:00 - 10:00 am
Edgewood Plaza - 2080 Channing Avenue, Palo Alto
Details and RSVP - (drop-ins welcome and anticipated)
Saturday, August 8, 2026
Summer Laughter Party
with special guest Carla H. Brown, 2023 World Laughter Champion
5:30 - 7:30 pm | Laughter Yoga
Plaza Ramona - 250 University Avenue, Palo Alto
Details and RSVP - (drop-ins welcome and anticipated)
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Tour of Downtown Palo Alto’s Hidden Public Open Spaces
with artist, Lisa Van Dusen
5:00 - 6:30 pm
Meet at Avenidas - 450 Bryant Street, Palo Alto
Details and RSVP - (drop-ins welcome and anticipated)
Thursday, July 9, 2026
REST-A-THON
with guest artist Agnieszka Wszolkowska
12:00 - 1:00 pm (drop in, stay as long as you like)
The (mostly) Secret Garden, 245 Lytton Avenue, Palo Alto
Details and RSVP (drop-ins welcome and anticipated)
Thursday, July 9, 2026
The Compliment Dept.: Office Hours
with artist Lisa Van Dusen
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Plaza Ramona - 250 University Avenue, Palo Alto
Details and RSVP - (drop-ins welcome and expected)
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Family Slide Show
With guest artists, PressYess - Anna Newman and Meg Pohlod
8:30 - 10:00 pm
Plaza Ramona - 250 University Avenue, Palo Alto
Details and RSVP - (drop-ins welcome and anticipated
Thursday, July 2, 2026
The Compliment Dept.: Office Hours
with artist, Lisa Van Dusen
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Plaza Ramona - 250 University Avenue, Palo Alto
Details and RSVP (drop-ins welcome and anticipated)
Saturday, June 27, 2026
Tour of Downtown Palo Alto’s Hidden Public Open Spaces
with artist, Lisa Van Dusen
11:00 - 12:30 pm
Meet at Avenidas - 450 Bryant Street, Palo Alto
Details and RSVP (drop-ins also welcome)
Saturday, May 16, 2026
held in Common
with guest artist Angela Sanders
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Plaza Ramona - 250 University Avenue, Palo Alto
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Across the Table: Intergenerational Exchange
with Youth Community Service (YCS), Avenidas, and artist Lisa Van Dusen
9:30 am - 1:30 pm students | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm older adults
800 High Street at Homer Avenue, Palo Alto
October 13–31, 2025 · 450 Bryant St, Palo Alto
Public Benefit art exhibition
Hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 am–5:00 pm · Sat Oct 25, 9:00 am–5:00 pm (last entry 4:30 pm)
About the exhibition:
Public Benefit is an art exhibition by Lisa Van Dusen revealing Palo Alto’s Privately Owned Public Open Spaces (POPOS)—public spaces hiding in plain sight. Through research, installation, and on-the-ground activations, the project invites the public to notice, explore and use these 12 sites created as a Public Benefit for you, the Public. This installation is situated among the seven POPOS in downtown Palo Alto.
PRESS & MEDIA INQUIRIES: