On this day in 1969, the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) broke ground for construction on its Valencia campus.

Construction of the new CalArts campus began May 3, 1969 with “The Great Ground Breaking.” The centerpiece of the campus would be a five-level, 500,000-square-foot “mega-building” to house the various artistic disciplines, designed by architects Ladd & Kelsey.

Though CalArts as an organization was originally formed in 1961 as a result of a merger between the Chouinard Art Institute and the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, the school campus would not be built until nearly a decade later.

Spearheaded by Walt Disney, the merger was meant to allow ongoing education of artists of various kinds, especially those who supported the ever-growing animation industry. Even after Disney died in 1966, his brother Roy Disney continued the effort.

Developed as part of the Master Plan for the up-and-coming planned community of Valencia, CalArts’ current campus held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 3, 1969.

In attendance were the various members of the original board of trustees, which included various magnates of the arts industry, as well as representatives from local organizations like Newhall Land and Farm Co. Among those people was also future White House Chief of Staff Harry Robbins “Bob” Haldeman, who would later be embroiled in the Watergate scandal of the Nixon administration.

While the Valencia Campus was under construction, CalArts held classes during its first academic year at a temporary facility in Burbank, offering degree programs in six disciplines: Art, Critical Studies, Design, Film, Music, and Theater & Dance.

Some students were moved to the new Valencia campus during the spring 1971 semester – just in time for the Feb. 9 Sylmar earthquake to take its toll on the Modernist “megabuilding” that housed the school.

Students were moved to portable structures and tents for the remainder of the spring, and the permanent campus fully opened for the fall 1971 semester with an enrollment of more than 650 students.

Today, CalArts remains a leader in the world of visual and performing arts colleges. Hundreds of accomplished artists of all disciplines have passed through its halls, animators and choreographers, composers and traditional artists.

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