California Institute of the Arts

California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) stands as a beacon for aspiring artists seeking an education rooted in innovation, experimentation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Conceived by Walt Disney as a visionary merger of the Chouinard Art Institute and the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, CalArts was designed to be a vibrant destination and a feeder school for the burgeoning arts industries. Today, it remains globally recognized for its pioneering programs, particularly in Character Animation and Jazz, attracting students who are eager to challenge conventional artistic boundaries.

The institute's rich history begins in 1961, bringing together two financially struggling but artistically significant institutions. With Walt Disney's personal involvement, a dream was forged to create a new kind of arts education – one that was a "destination, like Disneyland." This vision continued even after Disney's passing, with early leadership like Robert W. Corrigan and influential faculty such as Allan Kaprow, John Baldessari, and Nam June Paik, who instilled a counterculture and avant-garde spirit that shaped CalArts' foundational academic areas, including Film, Music, Art, and Theatre and Dance.

Over the decades, CalArts navigated significant challenges, from early financial instability and the devastating 1994 Northridge Earthquake to its impressive growth in enrollment and program development. Under the presidencies of Robert J. Fitzpatrick and Steven D. Lavine, new programs like Character Animation and Jazz were established, solidifying its reputation. Today, led by Ravi Rajan, CalArts continues its legacy of fostering groundbreaking creativity through interdisciplinary laboratories such as the CHANEL Center for Artists and Technology, the Center for Integrated Media, and the Cotsen Center for Puppetry, ensuring a dynamic and forward-thinking environment for all its students.