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“CalArts has an impact every day on our lives. People see something that CalArts fostered,” said Courtney McIntyre, associate director of development and Santa Clarita resident.
Excessive praise? Consider the works of these School of Film/Video alumni: Did you enjoy “WALL-E,” “Cars,” or any of the other Pixar movies? John Lasseter, ’79, is the Chief Creative Officer. Have you gone under the sea with Sponge Bob Square Pants? You could have met Steve Hillenburg in ‘92 as he was creating Sponge Bob for a school project. Are you a fan of Tim Burton’s movies? Class of ’79. “Kung Fu Panda,” “The Mummy,” “Toy Story,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles,” “The Simpsons” and “Powerpuff Girls” were either created, directed, written or produced by CalArts alumni.
We haven’t even scratched the surface. In addition to Film/Video, degrees are offered in Art, Dance, Music, Theatre, and Critical Studies, and alumni from all the disciplines travel the world sharing their creativity. Faculty and alumni have won so many significant awards that there isn’t even a number count. There is highly regarded talent on our doorsteps in the form of CalArts students and faculty, and Walt Disney is responsible for it all.
A true visionary, Disney imagined a school where performing and visual art students could collaborate under one roof to foster innovation and create magic. “He felt that the best legacy he could leave was an institute for the arts,” said McIntyre. “To be a good animator you need to bring characters to life. You need to watch a dancer move, music needs composers, a really great story needs writers. What started as a home for animation is now well known for all areas of art.”
CalArts was originated in 1961 by Walt and Roy Disney as the nation’s first art institute, offering both Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees in the visual and performing arts. Groundbreaking began in Valencia in 1969 and the campus opened in 1971 with a unique five-story structure that houses all the disciplines. Currently there are 1,381 undergraduate and graduate students with an enviable student/faculty ratio of 7:1. Ranked in the top 10 graduate fine art schools in U.S. News and World Report, the close student ties to faculty and subsequent mentoring is one of the hallmarks of success of the school.
Mentoring, in fact, is one of the highlights of the Community Arts Program (CAP). This innovative arts education program that began in 1990 brings CalArts faculty and students together with youth at more than 40 sites in L.A. County, including the Santa Clarita Valley. “It’s important for students to be mentored by teachers and it’s important for students to be part of the world,” said Margaret Crane, Media Relations Manager. CAP began with the goal of encouraging students to attend college and a surprising return gift to the institute is the 140 CAP students who have continued their studies at CalArts. Going full circle this year, the first former CAP participant was hired as a faculty member.
The Walt Disney Concert Hall Complex, designed by Frank Gehry in downtown Los Angeles, includes the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theatre, REDCAT. This state of the art theatre and gallery features a flexible performance area and was designed specifically for CalArts to present visual, performing and media arts. With a goal of providing a venue for experimentation, REDCAT has hosted local and international artists and allows students and audiences to experience the latest developments in the arts.
A mini Hollywood Bowl is currently under construction on campus. The music pavilion called “The Wild Beast” will be celebrated with a grand opening in October that is open to the public. The innovative design is by the Hodgetts Fung firm that completed the renovation of the Bowl. The firm, including Hodgetts, a former CalArts faculty member, has collaborated closely with David Rosenboom, Dean of the Herb Alpert School of Music. The Herb Alpert Foundation has been a significant sponsor of CalArts programs and individual artists and the Foundation support helps new and established artists develop their craft. The number of students in the music program has doubled in the last ten years and has created a need for more performance and rehearsal space.
The flexible design of the pavilion will provide seating for 140-1,000 in a beautifully landscaped indoor and outdoor area with superior acoustics. “What’s spectacular about this is that many incredible guest artists who play at the Hollywood Bowl stop by here. Now we have the space to advertise and open performances to the community,” commented McIntyre. A summer concert series for the public is in the works for the summer of 2010.
What does all this talent mean for local residents? How about free concerts? Currently, recitals by seniors are free and The Wild Beast will feature free performances by the distinguished faculty, students and renowned guest artists. REDCAT concerts are reasonably priced and there is an annual International Children’s Film Festival, complete with a Nickelodeon Family Fun Day.
The success of the CAP program shows how important exposure to the arts is to children. The music program at CalArts is an excellent way to introduce children to talented college artists and provide them with a glimpse of their future. CAP has many free programs in the Santa Clarita Valley through local schools and on campus. The SCV Youth Orchestra is supported by CalArts faculty, students and alumni. Also, free programs in digital media arts, Saturday music, and a photographic studies program are available on campus for students ages 13-19. A free three-week summer program is open for experienced art students in grades 10 through high school graduation, with an application process available in April. Contact 661.222.2708 or www.calarts.edu/cap.
If you’re looking for the fountain of youth, look no further than the donor wall for The Wild Beast. Imagine watching students grow through their performances and realize “I helped this young person.” To help make the creation of The Wild Beast accessible to everyone, the donor wall will list every donor of $1,000 or more. Each contribution ensures that the arts will have a future not only in Valencia, but throughout the world.
Celebrate the centennial of Jules Engel’s birth on April 18 at the REDCAT with speakers from the next generation that he inspired: Steve Hillenburg, creator of Sponge Bob Square Pants; Mark Kirkland, director of The Simpsons; Mark Osborne, director of Kung Fu Panda; Joanna Priestley, Henry Selick and Jorge Gutierrez. If Engel’s name doesn’t ring a bell, his work on “Fantasia” and the emotional scenes in “Bambi” samples of his contribution to the advancement of animation. Proceeds from the program, cocktail reception and art show support the scholarship fund he set up shortly before his death in 2003. For more information call 661.222-2743.
What does CalArts mean to local residents and future generations of artists? In the origin of CalArts archive display there is an opportunity to hear Walt Disney share his thoughts in 1941. If you were fortunate enough to have watched him on the “Wonderful World of Disney,” you can recall his distinctive voice as he said, “A fellow becomes cultured, I believe, by selecting that which is fine and beautiful in life and throwing aside that which is mediocre or phony. Every American can be cultured or grow up to be Donald Duck.”
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