The City of Santa Clarita and  the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) just teamed up on a new interactive art exhibit along the arroyo between the Valencia and McBean Bridges that is sure to make outdoor activities along this corridor even more exciting for walkers, cyclists and runners. 

The STROLL project consists of six sound-art modules that take the form of interactive playback devices.   Similar to music boxes, the sound-art modules are suspended from six poles along the path and play sounds produced by 14 artists, which included students from the Institutes’ Center for Integrated Media, faculty and visiting artists.  The digitally sampled and mixed sounds were generated from field recordings, electronic sounds, spoken word and performed music and include influences from Nepal, India, Brazil, and even right here in Santa Clarita. 

            “We want to make all forms of art readily accessible in our community and this project is unlike any public art we’ve installed to date,” said Mayor Frank Ferry.  “We have some of the world’s best artists at CalArts and STROLLis a fun way to showcase their talent and creativity.” 

            Strolling, according to CalArts, is an activity many Californians do not regularly enjoy given the amount of time most residents spend in their automobile.  The project is designed to encourage people to get out, pause and listen.   

 “CalArts’ Integrated Media Program unites art, science and technology,” said its director Tom Lesser. “STROLL applies these disciplines to alter perceptions of the natural world.  With changing light and weather conditions, walkers and bike riders will never experience STROLL the same way twice—giving them limitless reasons to get out of the car and enjoy the outdoors .”

STROLL was made possible by the following CalArts artists: Justin Asher, Aaron Drake, Daniel Eaton, Evelyn Ellias, Kristin Pora Haraldsdottir (Need help with correct letters), Tom Leeser, Heather Lockie, Dave Mickey, Albert Ortega, Henry Schroy, Kari Rae Seekins, Stephanie Smith, Robin Sukhaida, and Taralyn Thomas.

            STROLL is part of the City of Santa Clarita City Council and Arts Commission’s efforts to provide a variety of enriching art experiences in the community through public art in public spaces.  For more information about the City’s arts endeavors, please visit Common-Spaces.org.

CalArts was ranked America’s number one college for students in the arts by Newsweek/The Daily Beast.  With its six related schools: Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music and Theater, CalArts is unique in its multidisciplinary approach to studying the art and is one of the first schools in the country to offer World Music for performance.  CalArts encourages students to recognize and explore the complexity of the aesthetic, social and political aspects of the arts.   It is supported by its distinguished faculty of practicing artists and provides its BFA, MFA and DMA students with both the hands-on training and the engagement with the cultural community necessary for artists’ growth.  CalArts was founded in 1961—and opened in 1969—as the first institution of higher learning in the U.S. specifically for students interested in pursuing degrees in the visual and performing arts.