California Institute of the Arts

Date: Aug 31 2007
Major: Fine Arts - Painting/Sculpture/Photography/etc (This Major's Salary over time)
The school is filled with creative, interesting, and engaging staff. It is required of professors at Calarts to be a currently working artist. They can be arrogant, but usually have earned some right. Still, this arrogance leads to amazing self discoveries and class discussions. This art school is NOT typical. It is highly conceptual and breaks ground constantly. As an art school it was everything I could have asked for, and yet there were areas with definite short comings.

Theft runs rampant on campus and you rarely get back anything that is stolen. Money, art supplies, and furniture can and will be taken. This is what happens when too many art students get together and try to convince themselves its some sort of commune. Another raging problem, a related problem, are students bitching about how poor they are after paying tuition. Perhaps this justifies their own stealing activities? Still, I will give them this: tuition is steep and you are paying as much for connections as you are for your education.

If you want a school that puts the responsibility of creating art on YOUR shoulders, but constantly challenges your personal discoveries then Calarts is the place for you. If you want THE MOST PROGRESSIVE STAFF AND STUDENTS then calarts is for you. If you want an amazing community of intelligent kids, and a crazy college experience, then yes…Calarts is for you. If, however, you feel you need a more structured and guided college experience you are best to look elsewhere. If you obsess over technical prowess, and can't stand modern art then Calarts may or may not be the place for you. It just depends how much you wish to challenge your own beliefs about art, and Calarts WILL do that.