Santa Clarita Valley History In Pictures
> CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS
Trustees Launch Funding Campaign
California Institute of the Arts


Click image to enlarge

PRESS RELEASE
3-19-1969

thumbnail
Corrigan, Disney, Price, Truex

thumbnail
Roy O. Disney

thumbnail
Price, Truex

[California Institute of the Arts, Los Angeles, March 19, 1969] — "Harrison Price (left), chairman of the board of trustees of California Institute of the Arts, and G. Robert Truex Jr., chairman of the executive committee for planning and development, discuss plans for funding the new 60-acre campus to be located at Valencia, 32 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The Institute, scheduled to open in the fall of 1970, will bring together a community of the arts with schools for Art, Music, Design, Film, Theatre and Dance, and General Studies."

Webmaster's note: Ground was broken May 3, 1969, but the 1970 academic year was conducted at an interim campus in Burbank. The Institute moved to its permanent Valencia campus in 1971.


$54 Million Goal Set for Development Program of
California Institute of the Arts

New Campus In Valencia To Open In October '70

California Institute of the Arts has embarked on a $54 million development program to establish the first center for professional training in all the arts in October 1970 in the new city of Valencia, California.

The announcement was made at a conference held in the University Club by Robert W. Corrigan, President of the Institute; Harrison A. Price, Chairman of the Board; Roy O. Disney, Trustee; and G. Robert Truex Jr., Trustee and Chairman of the Institute's development program. Present too were additional members of the Board and of the academic and administrative staffs.

According to Mr. Truex, who is Executive Vice President of the Bank of America, $54-million is the amount necessary to construct the physical facilities, help defray annual operating expenses through 1974, and provide an initial endowment fund for scholarships and instruction.

Mr. Truex stated that a major development drive normally is predicated on the assurance at the start of at least 20% of the goal, and of a single gift approximating 10% of the total to be raised.


1969 Logo

"We are able to report, "Mr. Truex declared, 'that we have met and exceeded these requirements. Through the generosity of the Walt Disney Foundation, the Institute has received a single magnificent gift of $5 million, bringing the sum of contributions and firm commitments to date to $13,518,000.00, or more than 25% of our total objective."

California Institute of the Arts is to be located on a 60-acre site, 32 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, near Newhall-Saugus on the Golden State Freeway. The Institute will consist of a single complex of six schools, embracing art, music, design, theater and dance, film and general studies. The interrelation of the creative disciplines and the interaction between the campus and the new city rising around it are some of the elements in this unique concept of a community of the arts.

Discussing the purpose of California Institute of the Arts, Dr. Corrigan said: "Like every significant idea, the Institute arises from need. Technologically, America has no peer. Socially, we are in a crisis. Today, professional training of the artist demands that we think of the Institute as an environment, a community in which the work itself is the source of the artist's energy and technique. The Institute will not merely prepare him for entry into a profession. The arts are a different way of knowing. The arts here will be a source of knowledge of the artist himself as well as of the society in which he will function."

Building of California Institute of the Arts will proceed in three stages, the first to provide facilities for the six schools, the library and main gallery, the administrative wing and student housing. Phase II will provide an innovative modular theatre; additions to the Schools of Theatre and Dance, Film and General Studies, and finish the library. Phase III will provide major rehearsal halls, an 800-seat thrust theatre and two sound stages.

Grading of the site was begun on March 10th. Contracts for construction will be awarded in April and formal ground breaking ceremonies are scheduled in May. Completion of the three phases is expected in September 1970, July 1971 and March 1972.

Chairman Price expressed the view that "the new California Institute of the Arts is emerging from the past into the present because of a vision held by Walt Disney. Though death had deprived him of witnessing its fulfillment, it did not prevent him from lending substantial assistance. Through his foresight and liberality, the Institute has been able to arrive at this point in its development."

The $54 million will finance construction and equipment of the physical facilities at a cost of $36.5 million; operation, instruction and scholarships for the next six years at a cost of $12.5 million; and an endowment fund for a continuing program of instruction and scholarships of $5 million.

"In the foreseeable future," declared Mr. Truex, "The Institute will exert a profound influence on the life of California, and of the nation. Opportunities to support it exist for every sector of our population, for the prominent and affluent as well as for the thousands across the country whose modest but no less welcome contributions will help toward its realization."

The Institute was designed by Thornton Ladd, of Ladd and Kelsey Architects, utilizing 4 of its 60 acres for a tri-storied structure on varying levels, in a single complex of classrooms, workshops, studios, laboratories, galleries, a student union with dining room and lounges, and eight performance areas, including a 200-seat proscenium theater and a 50-seat changing-form lab-theater. The adjacent dormitory will accommodate up to 360 students. Space provisions will total 718,600 square feet.


HARRISON A. PRICE
Chairman of the Board, California Institute of the Arts

President
Economics Research Associates

Director
Scope Industries

Director
American Nucleonics

Chairman
Facts Consolidated

ROY O. DISNEY
Trustee, California Institute of the Arts

Chairman of the Board
Walt Disney Productions

G. ROBERT TRUEX, JR.
Trustee, California Institute of the Arts
Chairman, Planning and Development Committee

Executive Vice President
Bank of America

Chairman
Southern California Finance Committee

Director and Member of 3-man Committee
with Chairman and President
National Airlines Inc., Miami, Florida

Director
INA Life Insurance Company of New York

Member
Association of Reserve City Bankers


TN6903c: 9600 dpi jpeg from original 8x10 glossy photograph from the collection of Tony Newhall, whose father Scott Newhall was a member of the CalArts board of trustees.
CALARTS CATEGORIES:
• Early CalArts
• CalArts Faculty
• Alumni-Film/Video
• Alumni-Music
• Alumni-Theater

EARLY CALARTS

thumbnail

The CalArts Story 1964

thumbnail

Placerita Campus Plans 1965-66

thumbnail

Buildng Fund
3-19-1969 x3

thumbnail

Groundbreaking Program 5-3-1969

thumbnail

Construction 1969

thumbnail

Burbank 1970

thumbnail

Dr. Robert W. Corrigan, President

thumbnail

Harrison A. Price,
Board Chairman

thumbnail

Roy O. Disney, Trustee

thumbnail

G. Robert Truex Jr.,
Development Chair

thumbnail

Jane Fonda Speaks 1973

RETURN TO TOP ]   RETURN TO MAIN INDEX ]   PHOTO CREDITS ]   BIBLIOGRAPHY ]   BOOKS FOR SALE ]
SCVHistory.com is another service of SCVTV, a 501c3 Nonprofit • Site contents ©SCVTV
The site owner makes no assertions as to ownership of any original copyrights to digitized images. However, these images are intended for Personal or Research use only. Any other kind of use, including but not limited to commercial or scholarly publication in any medium or format, public exhibition, or use online or in a web site, may be subject to additional restrictions including but not limited to the copyrights held by parties other than the site owner. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining the existence of such rights and for obtaining any permissions and/or paying associated fees necessary for the proposed use.