California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)

California Institute of the Arts, commonly known as CalArts, was established in 1961 by Walt and Roy Disney, who envisioned a premiere arts institution that would shape the talent of future generations. Central to the brothers' dream was an interdisciplinary model, encouraging artists from different creative branches to collaborate, learn, and innovate together. Today, CalArts instructs approximately 1,500 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students each year, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 7:1. This highly individualized method of instruction, combined with rigorous curriculum in six artistic fields, has produced countless talented artists imbued with the university's core belief: through artistic practice, we transform ourselves, each other, and the world around us.

CalArts' Community Arts Partnership (CAP) program provides summer residencies, youth and after-school programs, and community and school-based co-curricula across Los Angeles County. Through the Extended Studies program, students can choose from both credit- and non-credit-bearing courses that are competitive and encourage creative exploration in the arts. CAP's free arts programming is led by a teaching corps of CalArts faculty, reaching thousands of youth between the ages of 4 and 18 at public schools, community centers, and social service agencies. Through these branches of the institute, CalArts encourages artistic exploration and engagement across Los Angeles County for people of all ages.