California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly known as CalArts, and located in Valencia, California, USA, grants degrees in visual and performing arts. Incorporated in 1961, it was the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the performing arts. It was the dream and vision of Walt Disney to create such an institute, who provided funding for it in his will. Initially formed through the merger of the Chouinard Art Institute (founded 1921) and the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music (founded 1883), it opened at its present campus in Valencia, California, in November 1971.
It offers degree programs in music, art, dance, film and video (including a pioneering Character Animation program), theater, and writing (critical studies). Alumni include many award-winning performers and artists. Distinguished alumni include actors Don Cheadle, Paul Reubens and Ed Harris,animators Tim Burton,Henry Selick, Genndy Tartakovsky, John Lasseter, Brad Bird, Peter Chung, Craig McCracken, and Jim Reardon, composers Morton Subotnick, James Tenney and Mark Trayle, graphic designer Ed Fella, Directors Kerry Conran, James Mangold and don device and artists Daniel J. Martinez, Mark Bradford, Andrea Bowers, Sam Durant, Mike Kelley, Eric Fischl, David Salle and Catherine Opie.
CalArts specializes in contemporary art across genres, and its stated mission is to create artists who will change their field. CalArts recently launched an exhibition and performance space in downtown Los Angeles called REDCAT, the Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater.
Programs
Schools and degree programs available at CalArts include:
- Art: Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Photography and Media
- Critical Studies: MFA Writing, Interschool Writing
- Dance: Various Dance Programs
- Film/Video: Film and Video, Experimental Animation, Character Animation (BFA), Film Directing (MFA)
- Music: Composition, Composition New Media (MFA), Performer/Composer, Performer/Composer: African American, Improvisational Music (MFA), Music Technology (BFA), Performance, Musical Arts (BFA)
- Theater: Acting, Directing (MFA), Writing for Performance (MFA), Design and Production, Costume, Lighting, Management, Producing (MFA), Scene Props, Scene Puppetry, Scene Painting, Sound, Technical Direction
Faculty in degree programs at CalArts include:
- Art: Thomas Lawson, Martin Kersels, Michael Asher, Jessica Bronson, Sam Durant, Charles Gaines, Connie Hatch, Darcy Huebler, Shirley Tse, Millie Wilson
- Graphic Design: Ed Fella, Lorraine Wild, Jeff Keedy, Michael Worthington, Louise Sandhaus, Gail Swanlund, Scott Zukowski, and Martin Venezky.
- Experimental Animation: Myron Emery, Maureen Selwood, Stephen Chiodo, Maureen Furniss, Kevin Geiger, William Hedge, Laura Heit, Hillary Kapan, Igor Kovalyov, Suzan Pitt, Joshua Scherr, Michael Scroggin, Jerry Summers, Paul Vester, Kirstin Winter
Alumni
Notable CalArts alumni include:
- Animators
- John Lasseter (BFA 79, Character Animation)
- Peter Chung (81, Experimental Animation)
- Brad Bird (76, Character Animation)
- Craig McCracken (92, Character Animation)
- Henry Anderson (BFA 88, Character Animation)
- Eric Darnell (MFA 90, Experimental Animation)
- Pete Docter (BFA 90, Character Animation)
- Ralph Eggleston (86, Character Animation)
- Steve Hillenburg (MFA 92, Experimental Animation)
- Mark Kirkland (BFA 78, Experimental Animation)
- Henry Selick (MFA 77, Experimental Animation)
- Gary Trousdale (82, Character Animation)
- Kirk Wise (CRT 85, Character Animation)
- Actors
- Don Cheadle (BFA 86)
- Ed Harris (BFA 75)
- David Hasselhoff (73)
- Paul Rubens
- Film
- Tim Burton (79, Character Animation)
- Dane Davis (BFA 81, Film & Video)
- James Mangold (BFA 85, Film & Video)
- Andrew Tsao (MFA 90, Film Directing)
- Artists
- Miles Coolidge (MFA 92)
- Sam Durant (MFA 91)
- Mike Kelley (MFA 78)
- Dave Muller (MFA 93)
- Rubén Ortiz-Torres (MFA 92)
- James Welling (BFA 72, MFA 74)
- Stephen Prina (MFA 80)
- Music
- Carl Stone (BFA 75)