News releaseĀ
California Institute of the Arts is inviting the public to its campus for a weekend of music, art, dance, and performance Friday, April 26, through Sunday, April 28. The weekend features free concerts and art exhibitions, including the annual CalArts World Music and Dance Festival and CalArts MFA Open Studios.
The CalArts World Music and Dance Festival brings musical traditions from around the globe to Southern California. Audiences will experience a variety of world-class musicians and dancers at The Wild Beast stage on the CalArts campus.
Since the early 1970s, this annual festival has brought celebrated international artists to perform with CalArtsā world music faculty and students. One of the first schools in the United States to offer degree programs in world music performance, CalArts has a long history of nurturing traditional and new forms of music and dance from a variety of cultures.
Presented by The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts, the 2024 festival features music from Iran, Bali, Indonesia, India, Ghana, West Africa, and Japan, as well as cross-cultural fusion from much of the rest of the world. This family-friendly event offers bench and lawn seating, and picnicking is allowed. Concerts will also be livestreamed via the CalArts Music YouTube Channel.
In addition to the music and dance, visitors can shop for gifts, arts, and handmade items at the Artisan Market at the World Music and Dance Festival from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28.
MFA Open Studios
On Saturday, April 27, the CalArts School of Art presents the annual CalArts MFA Open Studios. Taking place from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. to coincide with the World Music and Dance Festivalās Saturday evening concerts, graduate students in the Art, Art & Technology, Graphic Design, and Photo & Media programs invite the public into their studios and workspaces to share ideas, works in progress, and experiments, offering a deep glimpse into the evolving practices of emerging new voices in contemporary art.
Performance art and video screenings will be presented throughout the day.
Maps and signage will lead Open Studios guests on self-guided tours. Light food, refreshments, and a beer garden will be available on the patios outside.
The World Music and Dance Festival performances and the Open Studios are free and open to the public. World Music and Dance Festival performances are scheduled to run approximately 7-9 p.m. April 26 and 5-9 p.m. April 27 and 28. All events take place on the CalArts campus, 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia. Free parking available.