Ravi Rajan — California Institute of the Arts

President

THE LATEST: In March, California Institute of the Arts reached an agreement with the city of Santa Clarita and Serrano Development Group, the developer of the Newhall Crossing mixed-use project, to lease 6,000 square feet of ground-floor space to provide artists with exhibition spaces and increase public access to art. In August, with a $5 million gift from philanthropist Eileen Harris Norton, CalArts launched the Charles Gaines Faculty Chair to support Black and underrepresented faculty in its School of Art. Also in August, the Hollywood Reporter ranked CalArts among its top 25 American film schools.
BACKGROUND: Rajan became the fourth president of CalArts in 2017. He has led efforts to advance the use of technology in creating art. Before joining CalArts, Rajan served as dean of the School of the Arts at State University of New York at Purchase. Initially trained as a musician, Rajan has collaborated on multimedia presentations for major art institutions as well as theatrical and music venues. He has served on the Tony Awards Nominating Committee and is a member of the Royal Society of Arts in London and the Asian American Arts Alliance.
YEARS ON THE LA500: 4
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