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Main Entrance
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Chouinard Hall Parking
Third Floor Map MFA Studios
The Blue Wall
1. Clark’s Field
7. Registration
2. Generator Building
8. Roy O. Disney Concert Hall
3. Main Gallery
9. Sharon Disney Lund Dance Theater
4. MOD Theater Lobby
10. The Wild Beast Music Pavilion
5. The Pool
11. Steve’s Café
6. Reception Lobby
12. Mom’s Café
Today is your opportunity to get a glimpse of what life is like at CalArts. Creative, vibrant, thoughtful, political, experimental, collaborative—these are words often used to describe the CalArts experience. It’s also high energy. That’s partly because the programs at CalArts, or métier, as you’ll come to know them, are located all in one building per the wishes of our founder, Walt Disney, who knew from his own experience that when artists from different practices come together, something magical takes place. New ways of thinking develop. New forms of expression are generated. Whole new genres emerge, which in turn influence other artists. Walt’s simple concept of proximity has made quite a difference, for today, fewer than 50 years since the Institute was created, CalArts graduates are consistently among the most successful and respected artists in the world. You’ll also discover that CalArts is a diverse place, and that our diversity extends in many directions, enabling you to broaden your art practice in meaningful ways and engage with a rich variety of perspectives. CalArts is famous for offering a wealth of opportunities beyond the classroom and studio. Every day there are exhibitions and performances, lectures, readings and screenings, presentations by visiting artists, master classes, workshops, and demonstrations that provide countless opportunities to grow as an artist. There’s also an array of student organizations focused on art, activism, and identity that will allow you to engage in powerful conversations that will help inform your art. We are confident that you will flourish at CalArts, and we are grateful that you are spending the day with us so that you can get to know us better. Thank you for being here today, and if I can be of assistance to you or your family as you transition into CalArts, please feel free to email me at tcostantino@calarts.edu.
Sincerely
Tracie Costantino Provost
calarts.edu/about
Welcome and Congratulations on Your Acceptance to CalArts!
Congratulations on your acceptance into CalArts. You have joined a select and passionate community of artists, and I am honored to be among the first to welcome you into the CalArts family.
Founded by Walt Disney as an alternative to one-size-fits-all arts training, the Institute relies on individualized mentoring by a worldclass faculty of working artists to help students develop their own unique voices. CalArts offers intellectually rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs through six Schools: Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/ Video, Music, and Theater. An inclusive community in which diverse artistic and cultural traditions inform and inspire one another, it champions independent inquiry and experimentation, vigorous collaboration and exchange, and the development of original forms and expressions.
History Walt Disney and his brother Roy established California Institute of the Arts through the merger of two existing schools: the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, founded in 1883, and the Chouinard Art Institute, founded in 1921. The new institute, CalArts, opened its doors in 1970 and immediately became a fiercely countercultural hotbed of artistic originality. In the half-century since then, successive generations of innovators from CalArts have set the leading edge of contemporary artistic practice—from conceptualism, feminist art and design, video, and computer music in the early years, to the Disney Renaissance, Pixar Revolution, and SpongeBob; from interdisciplinary performance and digital design to the latest directions in creative music, interactive media, hybrid arts, and immersive experience.
calarts.edu/about
CalArts at a Glance
California Institute of the Arts is renowned internationally as a gamechanger in the education of professional artists. The transformative cultural impact of its alumni over the past half-century shows why: CalArts brings out creative talent unlike any other university, school, or conservatory.
“One of the truly successful experiments in American arts education.” The Museum of Modern Art
“The Harvard Business School of animation.” Los Angeles Times
“Top Film Schools Top Music Schools Top Drama Schools” The Hollywood Reporter
“Top Fine Arts Grad Schools” U S News & World Report
Enrollment 1,520 Total Enrollment 1,015 (66.8%) Undergraduate Students BFA, Certificate Average Age 21 496 (32.6%) Graduate Students MFA, MA, DMA, Adv. Cert. Average Age 27 9 (0.6%) Non-Degree Students
Gender 815 (53.6%) Female 604 (39.7%) Male 101 (6.6%) Gender Minority or Undisclosed
Geographic Representation 1,085 (71.4%) U S Students from 44 States, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico 435 (28.6%) Students from 52 Countries
U S Ethnic Diversity 0.4% American Indian or Alaska Native 1 2.3% Asian 5.5% African American
calarts.edu/about
Student / Faculty Ratio
16.7% Hispanic or Latino
Fall Semester 2019
0.1% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
6.54 / 1 1515 Student FTE / 231.66 Faculty FTE
53.6% White
Class Sizes
6.6% Two or More Races 4.9% Undeclared
Distribution by School 20.1% Art 3.5% Critical Studies 5.0% Dance 28.4% Film/Video
Excluding Individual Lessons and Independent Studies 2–20 STUDENTS 82.4% of Classes 20+ STUDENTS 17.6% of Classes
Admissions 4,033 Applications Fall Semester 2019 30.7% Acceptance Rate Fall Semester 2019
21.2% Music
83.7% First-Time Freshman Retention First to Second Year 2018-2019
21.1% Theater
Residence Life
0.8% Interschool
Faculty Population Fall Semester 2019 400 Total Faculty 168 Full-Time Faculty 232 Part-Time Faculty 231.66 Total Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)
Fall Semester 2019 427 Total Students Residing on Campus (28.1% of All Students) 364 Undergraduate Residents (35.7% of All Undergraduates) 63 Graduate Residents (12.6% of All Graduate Students)
By the Numbers
Student Population Fall Semester 2019
Patty Disney Center for Life and Work The Patty Disney Center for Life and Work provides a variety of resources that empower students and alumni to chart their paths to success, and sustain themselves as creative leaders in the world. The department provides individual career advising, produces employer events with recruiters and practicing professionals, and manages courses and workshops focused on entrepreneurship, personal finance, and other life skills topics for artists. The Center for Life and Work also provides funding opportunities for student travel and resources to apply for the Fulbright US Scholars Program.
Campus Life Campus Life consists of Residence Education, including two residence halls that house both matriculated students and summer program students; and Student Engagement, which includes student government, clubs, and organizations, as well as overseeing major student events such as Orientation, Halloween, and Commencement. CalArts offers on-campus housing in two separate halls: Chouinard Hall for undergraduate students, and Ahmanson Hall for third- and fourth-year undergraduates and graduate students. Residence Life priorities are to facilitate a smooth transition for incoming students and to offer returning students a reliable and comfortable home base. All registered students are eligible to apply for on-campus housing. Constant creative exchanges among students and faculty fuel the indescribable energy on campus. Our Valencia home is above all a place where we develop new ideas and celebrate the creative process. From impromptu performances at the Tatum Lounge to art exhibitions in the hallways, from outdoor readings to life drawing by the pool, the CalArts campus is a test-bed and proving ground for the next generation of thinkers and makers. Led by elected representatives from each of CalArts’ schools, the Students’ Union provides an open forum for expressing concerns about the Institute. The Union serves as liaison to the Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, and staff; awards grants for student projects and events on and around campus; and works to foster a fully interdisciplinary, progressive, and creative environment.
calarts.edu/life-at-calarts
Student Experience
The primary objective of CalArts’ Office of Student Experience is to integrate student personal and social development together with academic and creative learning experiences to prepare students to sustain a life in the arts to their fullest potential.
Care and Wellbeing provides students with three full-time psychological counselors, and runs the Student Health Center through partnerships with Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and Samuel Dixon Medical Clinic. Care and Wellbeing also facilitates academic and residential accommodations, offers confidential advocacy counseling, and supports student basic needs through food assistance and emergency funds. CalArts provides students with counseling services throughout the school year. Registered students are allowed 12 individual counseling sessions per school year with MFT counselors who have experience and skills ideally suited for CalArts students. The counseling staff meet students by appointment as well as offering daily walk-in hours, and can make referrals to outside professional agencies as needed. The recently remodeled Student Health Center has a full-time nurse as well as offering appointments on campus with Children’s Hospital physicians who specialize in adolescent medicine. Health Center doctors can also make referrals as needed, and prescribe medications. All services are provided to students free of charge.
calarts.edu/life-at-calarts
Care and Wellbeing works to provide CalArts students with disabilities the same opportunities for success at CalArts as students who do not have disabilities. This includes equal access to courses, programs, housing, services, jobs, activities, and facilities through reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids determined on an individual basis; and information made available in accessible formats. CalArts is committed to treating all members of the community with dignity, empathy, and respect. Any student who is affected by discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct— whether as a complainant, respondent, or third party—has access to support and counseling services provided by the Institute.
Student Experience
Care and Wellbeing
Luciana Achugar choreographer Bessie Award winner John Luther Adams composer Pulitzer Prize for Music Kevin Adams lighting and scene designer Tony Award winner Brad Bird animation and live-action writer-director (The Incredibles 2, Ratatouille) Academy Award winner Mark Bradford mixed-media painter MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Alison Brie actress (Mad Men, Community) Screen Actors Guild Award Chris Buck animation writer-director (Frozen) Academy Award winner Tim Burton director (Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood) Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle actor (Hotel Rwanda, House of Lies, War Machine in Marvel Cinematic Universe) Golden Globe Award winner, Academy Award nominee Eric KM Clark violinist, composer, co-founder of southland ensemble Ravi Coltrane jazz saxophonist, composer, bandleader Grammy Award nominee
calarts.edu/alumni
Eliza Coupe actress (Happy Endings) John D’Amico mayor of West Hollywood Pete Docter animation writer-director (Inside Out, Up, Monsters, Inc.) Academy Award winner Lauren Faust animation writer, director, producer (My Little Pony) Emmy Award winner The Formalist Quartet new music group Jonathan Fredrickson dancer, Pina Bausch/Tanzteather Wuppertal Fitz and the Tantrums neo-soul, pop band co-founded by Michael Fitzpatrick and James King Gnarwhallaby new music group Dana Gourrier actress (The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained) Hilary Greenbaum graphic designer, design director of the Whitney Museum of American Art Virginia Grise playwright (Their Dogs Came with Them, blu) Yale Drama Prize
Aurora Guerrero indie filmmaker (Mosquita y Mari) Independent Spirit nominee Jorge Gutierrez animation writer-director (The Book of Life), creator of El Tigre Emmy Award winner Ed Harris actor (The Truman Show, Apollo 13, Game Change, Westworld) Golden Globe Award winner Academy Award nominee Jacques Heim choreographer, founder of Diavolo | Architecture in Motion Stephen Hillenburg animation writer-producer, creator of SpongeBob SquarePants Emmy Award winner Julia Holter art pop artist and composer Eliza Hittman writer and filmmaker (Beach Rats, Never Rarely Sometimes Always) Berlinale Jury Grand Prix Bill Irwin clown, actor, playwright Tony Award winner, MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Lars Jan director, transmedia artist TED Senior Fellow
Liz Glynn sculptor, installation, performance artist
Michael Jung director, VP of Theatrical Development, Walt Disney Imagineering
Guillermo Gomez-Peña performance artist, writer MacArthur “Genius” Fellow
Douglas Kearney poet, performer, librettist Whiting Writers Award
Alumni
Below is a shortlist of CalArts alumni over the years. See the webpages of the individual CalArts schools for more alums in each métier.
Jonathan Notaro motion graphics designer, founder of Brand New School
Anne-Marie Kinney novelist (Radio Iris, Coldwater Canyon)
Catherine Opie photographer Guggenheim Fellow
Alice Könitz sculptor, installation artist Made in L A 2014 Mohn Award winner
Mike Ott Filmmaker (Littlerock) Independent Spirit Award winner
Grace Krilanovich novelist (The Orange Eats Creeps)
Laura Owens painter Ariel Pink art pop singer-songwriter
Golden Krishna head of Design Strategy, Platforms & Ecosystems, Google
Lari Pittman painter
Jessica Kubzansky director and artistic director of Boston Court Pasadena L A Drama Critics Circle Award
J.Q. Quintel animator, writer-producer, creator of Regular Show Emmy Award winner
James Lapine director, playwright, librettist (Into the Woods, Sundays in the Park with George) Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Tony Award Winner
Condola Rashad Actress (Ruined, Billions) Tony Award nominee
James Brandon Lewis jazz saxophonist, composer, bandleader James Mangold writer, director, producer (Logan, Ford v Ferrari, Walk the Line) Academy Award nominee Christine Marie shadow theater artist, director TED Fellow Geoff McFetridge artist, graphic designer, founder of Champion Studio 2019 AIGA Medalist Dallas McMurray dancer, Mark Morris Dance Group Marco Morante fashion and costume designer (Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj)
calarts.edu/alumni
Ellen Reid composer and sound artist (p r i s m) Pulitzer Prize for Music Paul Reubens actor, creator of Pee-wee’s Playhouse Emmy Award nominee Daniel Rosenboom trumpeter, composer, founder of Orenda Records Leon Rothenberg sound designer Tony Award winner Douglas Rushkoff media theorist, author (Present Shock, Team Human) Henry Selick stop-motion animation director (Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas) Academy Award nomination
Andrew Stanton animation and live-action writer-director (Finding Nemo, WALL·E, Finding Dory) Academy Award winner Cecily Strong actress, comedian (Saturday Night Live) Dawn Stoppiello interactive performance, choreographer, co-founder of Troika Ranch Bessie Award winner Deborah Stratman artist and filmmaker Guggenheim Fellow Genndy Tartakovsky animation director (Hotel Transylvania), creator of Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Clone Wars Emmy Award winner Ann Telnaes editorial cartoonist, The Washington Post Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning Momo Wang comics and animation artist, creator of character Tuzki Yuanyuan Wang choreographer, founder of Beijing Dance Theater Pendleton Ward animation writer-producer, creator of Adventure Time Emmy Award winner Carrie Mae Weems photo-text and video artist MacArthur “Genius” Fellow James Welling artist and photographer David Wilson founder of the Museum of Jurassic Technology, MacArthur “Genius” Fellow
Alumni
Mike Kelley sculptor, installation, video and performance artist
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First Floor Map 1. John Baldessari Studios
4. MacLab
2. Service Center / Mailroom
5. Print Lab
3. Campus Safety
6. The Wild Beast Music Pavilion
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Second Floor Map Sublevel
Generator Building
1. Bijou Theater
5. Library
2. CalArts Store
6. Information Technology (IT)
3. Donn B. Tatum Lounge
7. Student Experience
4. Health Services
8. Accounting Office