Art and Design Center

Did the Art and Design Center always hum with creative energy? In 1930, Edward “Tink” Adams, an advertising man, founded the ArtCenter School. He was frustrated with the subpar work of recent art school graduates. Adams developed a practical curriculum. He aimed to equip artists and designers for publishing, advertising, and industrial design. The ArtCenter School thrived even during the Great Depression. Its alumni consistently found employment. This spirit continues at the Art and Design Center today. The Art and Design Center started small. The original campus was in a Los Angeles courtyard. It housed just 12 teachers and eight students. By 1940, enrollment had grown to nearly 500 students. These students came from 37 states and several countries. After World War II, returning veterans further boosted enrollment. In 1946, the school moved to a larger building on Third Street. It also adopted a year-round schedule. The Art and Design Center continued to evolve. In 1948, it established the Automotive Design Department. This is now known as Transportation Design. A year later, it became an accredited four-year college. It granted its first bachelor’s degrees in Industrial Design, Photography, Illustration, and Advertising. The Art and Design Center played a key role in creating the first advanced-concept design studio for the automotive industry in the 1950s. It also fostered international relationships. In 1956, the Japanese External Trade Recovery Organization began sending students to ArtCenter. From 1986 to 1996, ArtCenter operated a second campus in Vevey, Switzerland. The Art and Design Center has always attracted remarkable talent. Ansel Adams taught photography there. Keith Haring painted a mural during a campus visit. Video and installation artist Diana Thater teaches in the Graduate Art program. The alumni are equally impressive. Ralph McQuarrie’s concept art persuaded 20th Century Fox to finance Star Wars. Barbara DuMetz’s photography showcased African Americans in national ad campaigns. Kenji Ekuan designed everything from bullet trains to the Kikkoman soy sauce bottle. The Art and Design Center moved to its Pasadena Hillside Campus in 1976. It occupied an iconic building designed by Craig Ellwood Associates. In the 1980s, it pioneered digital design by installing the first computer labs in a design school. In 2003, it became the first design school with NGO status at the United Nations. This recognition stemmed from the Designmatters social impact initiative. The Art and Design Center’s story continues to unfold. It constantly adapts to the changing landscape of art and design. It continues to shape creative leaders for a future of endless possibilities.