CalArts
California Institute of the Arts is a community of artists located in greater Los Angeles. Our programs of study are designed to develop original creative voices and help them find full expression in the wider world. A CalArts education is grounded in openness, experimentation, critical engagement, and creative freedom. Through artistic practice, CalArtians transform themselves, each other, and the world.
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The CalArts campus is not only a place where art is made. It is a safe, supportive environment in which every individual artist can learn and create as their authentic self. You’ll be joining an open, globally minded student body and benefit from a diverse array of backgrounds and experiences. Adjacent to Los Angeles—a 21st century epicenter for the visual, performing, and media arts—the campus provides a secluded yet stimulating environment primed for work and collaboration among your community of fellow student artists.
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In addition to its worldwide reputation, CalArts’ prime location in greater Los Angeles attracts world-class faculty and visiting artists. You will take advantage of lectures, exhibitions, and performances by the most celebrated artists in their fields. CalArts’ Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater (REDCAT) —the Institute’s performance venue for innovative contemporary arts in downtown LA—features an extensive range of programs drawn from a mix of established artists and emerging voices, alongside original works developed at CalArts. Through programs designed and taught by CalArts faculty and students, the Community Arts Partnership (CAP) links the Institute with community arts organizations and public schools throughout Los Angeles County. As part of your education, you will connect with career, internship, and artistic opportunities in the creative industries’ primary city.
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THEIRGETSTUDENTS“ONCE aistherehere,footing MUCHHOWTOURGENCYREAL theirpushtowantthey UNDISCOVEREDINTOIDEAS territory.” DOLE-RECIOLECIA— facultyArtofSchool 11
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7–10 p.m. Rehearsal. Our current scene from Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck involves 7" clear plastic stilettos and thick red and blue plastic tarps.
5:30 p.m. Run home to make dinner/prep for rehearsal. Scroll on Instagram for a while, then work on the musical I will be submitting to Coffee House in the spring. I also use this time to review my lines and blocking for tonight.
10:15 p.m. Home for the night! I make microwave popcorn and read for a while before showering and going to bed.
10:30 a.m. Voice class. Today we have Lady Anne and Hermione (devastating).
7:00 a.m. Wake up, make coffee, attempt to meditate, water my plants, and eat some chia seed oatmeal with strawberries. Look over today’s schedule—do I need to bring any costume pieces?
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9:00 a.m. Movement class. Today we’re outside on one of the grassy glades stretching and continuing to learn the sequence we started last week. The birds are chirping and the grass is still dewy :’) Such a sweet and gentle start to the day.
1:00 p.m. TA-ing: I help to lead a discussion section where we explore the implications of adaptation, cycles of violence, and the centrality of death and rebirth in Chay Yew’s contemporary adaptation of The House of Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca.
3:00 p.m. Grab an iced oat matcha latte at Tatum with my friend MaryKate and sit on the grassy hill to discuss our attachment styles and the upcoming eclipse.
Keila, Acting MFA
Hayat, Film/Video MFA
9:15 a.m. “Cinematography” class. We learn to properly operate the Fisher Dolly with the Red Camera. I can’t drive, but decide to take a chance and operate the rig anyway— I survive! Good times.
1:00 p.m. “Digital Editing” TA duties. I assist a student with the sequence settings of her Adobe Premiere project, using specs from one of my favorite professors (one of the loveliest people I’ve met; #goals).
7:00 p.m. Grab a slice of pizza for dinner from the cafeteria. Would prefer to prepare something with some greens in it—but alas, no time to cook tonight.
7:30 p.m. Head back to the Digital Editing Lab. I’m hoping to finalize the color and some cosmetic edits. It’s going to be a long night … 10:00 p.m. In the editing lab, I go over moodboard/ mindmaps for a presentation I’m doing tomorrow in my short film workshop class.
8:30 a.m. Wake up, check email, social media, shave, shower, moisturize (rarity).
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4:30 a.m. Finally get back to my room, shower, and sleep.
12:15 p.m. Grab quick bites from the cafeteria: a hum mus cup, smart water, chai tea, and some fruit.
11:00 p.m. Return to key-framing heaven in After Effects!
4:00 p.m. “Alternative Screenwriting.” We watch Nostalgia de la Luz. It centers on women in search of the remains of their beloved relatives following the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Very moving film.
4:00 a.m. Not able to get to color correction, but I am able to finish the composite special effect shots. Not picture-lock-ready, but good enough for a rough cut.
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4:00 p.m. CalArts GameMakers Club meets and shows prototypes of the games the different teams have been making. My group has the best music, but Team One has really great graphics and Team Two put hilarious dialogue in theirs.
6:00 p.m. “Tonal Skills D Sectionals” with Marc Lowenstein, who somehow makes music theory fun.
7:00 p.m. “Intro to Concert Production” class. Take notes on how to do a stage manager’s job and what to know about putting on my upcoming sound project with Evan.
8:00 a.m. Wake up early, shower, tame my mane, check email, and nom on breakfast biscuits before I head out the door.
9:00 p.m. Rehearsal for Opera Theater’s showcase of musical theater and opera scenes. My friend brings popcorn and we have a good time poking fun at our piece.
10:00 p.m. Home sweet dorm! Do homework and snack until I’m tired. Then get under the covers and hit the hay.
9:00 a.m. Meet with an animator to record some dialogue and singing for their musical animated film in the A112 recording studio.
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8:45 a.m. Pick up a care package from my mom at the mailroom—it has snacks and cooking supplies, along with a photo of my kitties as a surprise.
10:00 a.m. Sing my heart out in CalArts Contemporary Vocal Ensemble rehearsal.
Elizabeth, Music BFA
12:00 p.m. Lunch time at Steve’s Café! My partner Evan and I split a trayful of food, and we talk about the musical we’re composing together.
5:00 p.m. Dinner and CalArts VegeTable meeting. A bunch of vegans and vegetarians gather to talk about how to promote positive change in the food on campus.
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Jesse, Experimental Animation BFA
2:00 p.m. Advanced electronic music class. It’s refresh ing to get away from animating for a bit. Hear a guest speaker called Plaid. They’ve toured and collaborated with Björk! I scream on the inside.
12:00 p.m. Realize that my shadow was captured 30 frames ago, which messed up the shot. Re-shoot. 1:00 p.m. Burrito.
3:00 p.m. Struggle with the ceiling in my shot. My professor fixes it easily … and gives me some great lighting tips.
11:00 a.m. Continue shooting—how am I already hungry again? Is this stress eating? Maybe. Luckily I have snacks in the studio. Maybe a “semi” lunch.
7:00 p.m. Punk concert. Negotiate with authorities not to shut it down.
10:08 a.m. One of the puppets breaks. Solder him back together.
4:00 p.m. I don’t remember 4:00 p.m. Do you remember your 4:00 pms? I didn’t think so.
8:00 p.m. Punk show successfully not shut down. 1:00 a.m. Sleep.
9:00 a.m. Wake up and cook a huge breakfast for me and Grandma (she’s been a good college roommate/artis tic collaborator).
5:00 p.m. Dinner. I make a fantastic Buddha bowl with jasmine rice, freshly cooked black beans, cucumber, kimchi, red onions, avocado, and topped with liquid aminos, nutritional yeast, and Sriracha.
10:00 a.m. Shoot scenes for my stop-motion horror film.
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Fall Semester 2021 TOTAL ENROLLMENT 1,438 66.7% Undergraduate Students, 959 BFA, AverageCertificateage21 33.3% Graduate Students, 479 MFA, MA, DMA, Adv. Cert. Average age 28 0.6% Exchange Students, 9 DISTRIBUTION BY SCHOOL 21.4% Art 3.4% Critical Studies 5.5% Dance 27.7% Film/Video 21.8% Music 20.1% Theater CLASS SIZES 92.8% 2–20 students, excluding individual lessons and independent studies 7.2% 20+ students STUDENT:FACULTY RATIO 7:1 LAPoentstuDPution 24
GENDER 54.8% Female 34.8% Male 10.4% Other gender or undisclosed GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION 71.2% US students from 42 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam 28.8% International students from 56 countries and regions US ETHNIC DIVERSITY 0.4% American Indian or Alaska Native 8% Asian 4.3% African American 12.5% Hispanic or Latino 0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 36% White 5.6% Two or more races 4.2% Undeclared 52% Students of Color 25
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EXPOSETOMEPUSHED“CALARTS andweakness,weirdness,my TOART—ANDMYINWILDNESS withoutfullymyselfexpress FEARTONEEDTHEORAPOLOGY aroundattitudesconventional EXISTENCE.”MY GARRETTNATAKI— alumMFATheater 31
DEGREES Undergraduate BFA–Bachelor of Fine Arts 4 years/8 semesters Graduate MFA–Master of Fine Arts 2 years/4 semesters 3oryears/6 dependingsemestersontheindividual program DMA–Doctor of Musical Arts 3 years/6 (Performer-Composersemesters Program only) MA–Master of Arts 2 years/2 semesters in full residence, 2 semesters in low residence (Aesthetics and Politics Program only) Interschool BFA or AvailableMFAby application to a small number of practitioners whose advanced work warrants study in two programs in different CalArts schools. BFA students may only apply to enter in their third year of study. MFA students may apply to enter in their first year. CADAemiCs 32
The emphasis on the close relationship between liberal arts and studio practice at CalArts reflects the visionary commitment to cross-disciplinary study on which the Institute was founded. As such, CalArts’ BFA General Education curriculum is designed to enable you to consider aesthetic questions within larger sociocultural, ethical, and political contexts.
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Open to all BFA candidates who wish to develop an accredited body of skills and knowledge in addition to their métier studies. Minors are available in: Digital Arts Music CriticalTheoryStudies (Creative Writing, Humanities, Social Science, Cultural Studies, Science, and Math)
BFA GENERAL EDUCATION
Undergraduate Minors
Graduate Concentration in Integrated Media
Whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, mentorship—close collegial working relationships between faculty and students—is a hallmark of the learning experience at CalArts, with your mentor serving as your primary artistic and career advisor.
The Integrated Media concentration is designed specifically for MFA students whose creative use of technology—in particular digital media—goes beyond their primary areas of study.
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SCHOOL OF ART Art BFA, MFA Photography and Media BFA, MFA Art and Technology MFA Graphic Design BFA, MFA SCHOOL OF CRITICAL STUDIES Creative Writing MFA Aesthetics and Politics MA THE SHARON DISNEY LUND SCHOOL OF DANCE Dance BFA Choreography MFA SCHOOL OF FILM / VIDEO Film and Video BFA, MFA Character Animation BFA Experimental Animation BFA, MFA Film Directing MFA AProgrms 35
THE HERB ALPERT SCHOOL OF MUSIC Performer-Composer BFA, MFA, DMA Composition and Experimental Sound Practices BFA, MFA Jazz BFA, MFA INSTRUMENTALARTS: Winds BFA, MFA Brass BFA, MFA Percussion BFA, MFA Guitar BFA, MFA Harp BFA, MFA Piano/Keyboard BFA, MFA Collaborative Keyboard MFA Strings BFA, MFA VoiceArts BFA, MFA WORLD MUSIC: World Music Performance BFA African Music and Dance MFA Balinese and Javanese Music and Dance MFA North Indian Music MFA World Percussion MFA Music Technology: Interaction, Intelligence & Design BFA, MFA Experimental Pop BFA AProgrms 36
SCHOOL OF THEATER PERFORMANCE: Acting BFA, MFA Directing MFA EXPERIENCE DESIGN AND PRODUCTION: Experience Design and Production BFA WITH SPECIALIZATIONS IN: Scene ExperienceTechnicalStageSoundLightingExperienceCostumeDesignDesignDesignDesignDesignManagementDirectionDesignandProduction MFA WITH SPECIALIZATIONS IN: Interactive Media for Performance Costume Design Lighting TechnicalStageSoundSceneProducingDesignDesignDesignManagementDirection 37
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CALARTSATTIME“MY extraordinary—was CREATIVITY,WITHFILLED andfriendship, COULDN’TIMENTORSHIP. betteraforaskedhave EXPERIENCE.” SHOAIBMINA— alumBFAArt 45
FINANCIAL AID
ADMISSIONS
CalArts welcomes applications for admission from individuals engaged in the visual, performing, media, or literary arts. The main criterion for admission is artistic merit, as assessed directly by the faculty of the individual programs. Applicants are asked to demonstrate their abilities through live auditions or portfolio submissions. Other important considerations include previous educational records, recommendations, and a personal artist’s statement submitted by the applicant.
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CalArts is committed to helping students meet their cost of attendance. We offer a variety of financial assistance, including grants, scholarships, student loans, and Federal Work Study. During the 2021–22 academic year, more than 90% of enrolled CalArts students received institutional funding in the form of grants or scholarships. Most students receive financial aid from a combination of sources, including scholarships, grants, and loans. To learn more about financial aid, see calarts.edu/financial-aid.
ACCREDITATION California Institute of the Arts is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission. CalArts is also an accredited institution member of the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD). See wscuc.org to learn more about the WASC accreditation process. For information about NASD, see nasd.arts-accredit.org . For CalArts consumer information, including our Nondiscrimination Policy, visit calarts.edu/consumer-information . CREDITS Published by CalArts Enrollment Management Creative Direction and Design: Stuart Smith (Art MFA 02) Editorial: Vanessa Roveto, Jesse Damazo, and Taya Photography:ZoormandanYasaman Alipour (Art MFA 23) pg. 13; Alejandro Caminos (Art BFA 25) pgs. 12 top, 17 ; Angel Origgi pgs. 3 bottom, 23 top, 34 top, 39 top, front cover, inside front cover; Josh Rose pgs. 10, 18; Marco Zhang (Art BFA 23) pgs. 23 bottom, 30 top right, back cover; all other photographs Rafael Hernandez (Art BFA 11) 47
NOTES:
TO DO • Find out which program would be a good fit • Plan a virtual or in-person campus visit • Review application requirements • Prepare your audition, portfolio, or writing sample • Review our financial aid guidance • Send in your application APPLICATION PROCESS ATTEND AN EVENT CALARTS
California Institute of the 24700ArtsMcBean Parkway Valencia, California 91355 CalArts
