History
During the early 1980s, California was facing increasing competition from other states in the arts and entertainment industry, which is its third-largest source for tax revenue. Film, television, and recording studio complexes, traditionally built in California, were being built in Florida, Texas, among other places. With diminishing interest in the commercial art sector, many of California's non-profit fine arts institutions and the state’s educational community were feeling the effects of a financial backlash.
In 1982, a three-year effort by the state’s legislature began to create an educational environment for California’s young artists. State Senator Alan Sieroty sponsored legislation to begin the planning process. A 24-member Advisory Council of legislative, arts, and industry leaders was appointed by the California Arts Council and the State Board of Education to explore the cause of talent drain and recommend statewide educational opportunities. One of the problems that the Advisory Council discovered was that many of California's young talents were leaving California to attend art programs in New York, North Carolina, Michigan, and other states — and would eventually stay to live and work there while they went to school.
The research by the Council concluded on September 28, 1985 when Governor Deukmejian signed the bill, authored by State Senator John Garamendi, which created the California State Summer School for the Arts. The first session was held in the summer of 1987.
The program would prove to be highly successful. By September 1990, Governor Deukmejian signed follow-up legislation to make it a permanent program of the state. By 1992, Governor Pete Wilson signed legislation to enable the program to accept a limited number of students from outside California, thereby making it a national program.
Read more about this topic: California State Summer School For The Arts
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