Description
California Institute of the Arts was established in 1961 with the merger of Chouinard Art Institute (founded 1921) and the
Los Angeles Conservatory of Music (founded 1883). This merger became the nucleus of Walt Disney’s dream of a community of
the arts, the only professional training ground in the United States for all the visual and performing arts. The collection
covers the years 1925 to 1988, with the bulk of the material ranging from 1960 to 1972.
Background
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly known as Cal Arts, was born in 1961 as Walt Disney’s dream of an ideal environment
for artists of different media. Cal Arts is located in Valencia, California, and grants degrees in visual and performing
arts. Incorporated on September 1, 1961, it was the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States
created specifically for students of both the visual and the performing arts. It was the dream and vision of Walt Disney
to create such an institute, who provided funding for it in his will. Initially formed through the merger of the Chouinard
Art Institute (founded 1921) and the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music (founded 1883), it opened at its present campus in
Valencia, California, in November 1971.
Restrictions
Property rights reside with California Instittue of the Arts. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records
and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact California Institute of the Arts Archive staff.
Availability
This collection is open for research with permission from California Institute of the Arts Archive staff.