California Institute of the Arts

The California Institute of the Arts is commonly referred to as CalArts. This college is located in Valencia, California, which is a suburb of Los Angeles, California. CalArts is authorized by the state of California to grant Bachelor's degrees and Master's degrees in the visual and performing arts.

History

CalArts was initially formed through the merger of the Chouinard Art Institute (founded 1921) and the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music (founded 1883). Incorporated in 1961, CalArts was the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States, which was created specifically for students of both the visual and the performing arts. CalArts has remained funded through the ongoing contributions of Walt Disney, who provided funding for the ongoing operation of this school in his will. CalArts moved to its present campus, in Valencia, California, in November 1971.

CalArts recently launched an exhibition and performance space in downtown Los Angeles called REDCAT, the Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater.

Academics

CalArts offers degree programs in music, art, dance, film and video (including a pioneering Character Animation program), theater, and writing (critical studies). CalArts specializes in contemporary art across genres, and its stated mission is to create artists who will change their field.

"CalArts encourages students to recognize the complexity of political, social and aesthetic questions and to respond to them with informed, independent judgment"^*

Programs

Schools and degree programs available at CalArts include:

Art: Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Photography and Media

Critical Studies: MFA Writing, MFA Interschool Degree, Intergrated Media

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 Design, Stage/Production Management, Producing (MFA), Props, Costen Center for Puppetry, Scene Painting, Sound Design, 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

Music composition: James Tenney, Michael Pisaro, Arthur Jarvinen, Morton Subotnick, David Rosenboom

Notable Alumni and Students

Notable CalArts alumni and sutdents 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)
- Peter 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 Reubens

Film
- Tim Burton (79, Character Animation)
- Dane Davis (BFA 81, Film & Video)
- James Mangold (BF,A 85, Film & Video)
- Andrew Tsao (MFA 90, Film Directing)
- Don Device (MFA 88, Film Directing)
- Sofia Coppola
Artists
- Miles Coolidge (MFA 92)
- Sam Durant (MFA 91)
- Mike Kelley (MFA 78)
- Dave Muller (MFA 93)
- Rubén Ortiz-Torres (MFA 92)
- Mitchell Syrop (MFA)
- James Welling (BFA 72, MFA 74)
- Stephen Prina (MFA 80)
- Angus Andrew (of Liars (band))

Designers
- Sean Adams (BFA 86)
- Barry Deck (MFA 89)
- Jens Gehlhaar (MFA 97)
- Denise Gonzales Crisp
- Kevin Lyons (MFA 96)
- Geoff McFetridge (MFA 95)
- Noreen Morioka (BFA 88)
- Louise Sandhaus
- Jon Sueda
- Gail Swanlund
- Andrea Tinnes
- Michael Worthington

Music
- Stephen "Lucky" Mosko
- Peter Garland
- John Luther Adams
- Dean Drummond
- Lois V Vierk
- Arthur Jarvinen
- Melissa Hui
- Douglas Repetto
- Carl Stone (BFA 75)
- Jiro Yamaguchi (of Ozomatli)
- Roger Miller (rock musician) (76, Composition)
- Bob Bellerue

Misc.
- Douglas Rushkoff, social theorists

Faculty

School of Film/Video

External links

Los Angeles area colleges and universities | Film schools | Art schools in the United States