UCI Arts 2025 Year in Review
Reflecting back on a year of exceptional milestones
The past year marked a significant moment for the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, coinciding with UC Irvine’s 60th anniversary and the continued celebration of the 25th anniversary of the naming of the school. Together, these milestones offered an opportunity to reflect on the creativity, scholarship and collaboration that define the school’s role within a leading public research university.
Throughout the year, the Claire Trevor School of the Arts advanced its mission through nationally and internationally recognized faculty and alumni achievements, transformative philanthropic support, and expanded partnerships across the region. These efforts strengthened academic programs, elevated student opportunities and reinforced the essential role of the arts in research, education, and public engagement.
As the school looks ahead, the past year stands as a testament to the collective impact of creative activity, scholarly inquiry and community collaboration that continue to shape its future.
Investing in Creativity and Legacy
Philanthropic support and visionary giving fuel artistic excellence, access and innovation across the school.
The Department of Music received a $1 Million Endowment from the Jong Sup Kim Family Endowment, which will support the department’s highest priorities, such as scholarships to recruit the top talent, stipends to bring world-class visiting artists for guest lectures and masterclasses, and to foster meaningful collaborations with community organizations. With this transformative gift from business leader and philanthropist Jong Sup Kim, he aims to help extend the music department's impact, both locally and globally.
Image: (left to right) Michael Dessen, Mr. Kim and Tiffany Ana López. Photo by Steve Zylius.
Philanthropists John and Ruth Ann Evans have also committed to supporting music at UCI Arts. Their planned gift to the UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts Department of Music will create scholarships for music students and support choral and orchestral activities, continuing a legacy of philanthropy that spans generations.
Image: (left to right) Ruth Ann and John Evans in Aldrich Park. Photo by Steve Zylius/UC Irvine.
Milestones That Shape Who We Are
Anniversaries and landmark exhibitions offer a moment to reflect on our history while looking ahead.
This year marks 25 years since the Claire Trevor School of the Arts was renamed for the Oscar and Emmy Award-winning actor and the 60th anniversary of the founding of UC Irvine, when the department of fine arts was founded with top-notch faculty representing art, dance, drama and music.
Image: Claire Trevor Star at UC Irvine. Photo by Michelle S. Kim.
In September, the UC Irvine University Art Galleries (UAG) presented The Inoperative Community: Exhibition X Practice, UCI 1965–2025, curated by Juli Carson, Kevin Appel and Sasha Ussef. This landmark archival exhibition of the UAG from 1965 to the present showcased an unprecedented look at the gallery’s evolving curatorial and artistic legacy, highlighting its significant role in shaping the artistic and academic communities at UCI and beyond.
Image: Installation view of The Inoperative Community: Exhibition X Practice, UCI 1965-2025 in the Contemporary Arts Center Gallery. Photo by Paul Salveson.
September also marked the UCI Beall Center for Art + Technology, celebrating 25 years of innovation at the intersection of art and science. The center presented 25 Years at the Beall Center for Art + Technology, curated by artistic director David Familian and former assistant curator Gabriel Tolson, which was later exhibited at the City of Irvine’s Great Park Gallery.
Image: Beall Center for Art + Technology, 2023. Photo by Steve Zylius, courtesy of UC Irvine.
Partnerships That Expand Possibility
Collaborations with industry, education and cultural partners create meaningful pathways for students and communities.
UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts and South Coast Repertory are partnering on a new program —The Next Stage — that immerses M.F.A. theatre students in professional theatre. The Next Stage will pair mentorship from SCR’s artists and leaders with invaluable onstage experience, classroom instruction and theatre attendance opportunities.
Image: (left to right) David Ivers, Suzanne Appel and Joel Veenstra outside of SCR. Photo by Will Tee Yang.
The Orange County Department of Education and the UCI Arts office of Access & Engagement are partnering to create new registered apprenticeships that combine paid, hands-on experience with industry-recognized credentials by connecting students to meaningful career pathways in the arts and education.
Image: UCI Arts student teaching through Creative Connections. The internship program provides a paid, academic year-long teaching artist internship to UCI Arts majors. Photo by Will Tee Yang.
Recognition on National and Global Stages
Faculty, alumni and students continue to earn distinction for work that advances the arts worldwide.
The Department of Drama was honored with a 2025 Excellence Award in Undergraduate Training from the University Resident Theatre Association (URTA). UCI Arts received the institutional award in Design & Technology, joining a distinguished group of national recipients recognized for advancing the preparation of undergraduate theatre artists.
UCI Arts alumnus Tuan Andrew Nguyen ’99 was named a 2025 MacArthur Fellow for his multidisciplinary works exploring memory, displacement and the legacies of war.
Three Department of Art faculty and two alumni in art are featured in the globally-recognized Made in L.A. 2025 biennial at the Hammer Museum at UCLA, highlighting the impact of the UCI Arts community on contemporary art.
Three UCI Arts artists join the Guggenheim Foundation’s 100th class of fellows. Department of Art Assistant Professor Coleman Collins and alumni are among the recipients of the prestigious fellowship in the arts, bring the department's total to 25.
Image: Coleman Collins. Photo by Emily Zheng.
Stacy Kranitz M.F.A. ’14 Awarded Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for her powerful images in Life of the Mother, ProPublica’s award-winning reporting on abortion laws and maternal care.
Image: Stacy Kranitz wearing the Pulitzer Prize medal.
Catherine Lord, professor emerita of art and women’s studies at UC Irvine, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, one of the nation’s most prestigious honorary societies. She joins the 245th class of inductees, recognized for their distinguished contributions across academia, the arts, public affairs and the humanities.
Professor Mari Kimura, a violinist, composer, researcher and 2010 Guggenheim fellow, has been named the recipient of the 2025 SEAMUS Award. This prestigious honor, presented by the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS), recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of electro-acoustic music.
The UCI Chamber Singers were awarded the 2025 American Prize for Best Choral Performance. The national recognition honors the ensemble’s artistry and musical excellence in choral performance in the university category.
Image: UCI Chamber Singers. Photo by Jeanine Hill.
Research and Creative Scholarship with Public Impact
Faculty-led research and creative inquiry address urgent social, cultural, and environmental questions.
UC Alianza MX Awards $150K for binational music and community project, led by UC Irvine Department of Music Chair Michael Dessen and UC San Diego Professor Wilfrido Terrazas. Their project, Cauces Sónicos, explores collaborative artmaking and education across the U.S.–México border.
Image: Professor Michael Dessen (left) works with students at Santa Ana High School and in Manizales, Colombia, as part of a previous project, Telematic Bridges, in 2021. Photo by Teerath Majumder.
Juli Carson, professor of art and director of the University Art Galleries (UAG) has been awarded $120,000 to the UC multi-campus climate action initiative.
Department of Drama Associate Professor of Doctoral Studies Zachary Price premiered performances of Ancestry, which was directed by Professor of Drama Daniel Keeling, as part of the International Theater of Community Festival in February 2025.
The Next Generation of Artists and Thinkers
Students shape the future of the arts through scholarship, innovation, and professional achievement.
The Department of Dance at UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts announces the release of Dance Major Journal, Volume 13 (2025), a collection of essays written and edited by undergraduate dance majors that examine the current state of the field with honesty and insight.
Image: 2025 Dance Visions performance of High Windows, choreographed by Charlotte Griffin. Photo by Rose Eichenbaum.
Sloane Ptashek '25 returned to her hometown, which also happens to be home to Broadway. Ptashek’s B.F.A. in music theatre with a minor in art history have equipped her with the experiences, skills, connections — including an agent — to launch a professional career in New York City.
Image: Sloane Ptashek at Claire Trevor School of the Arts. Photo by Diana Kalaji.
UC Irvine Arts announced its 2025 Medici Circle Scholars. These scholarships enable recipients to expand their education beyond the classroom, collaborating with academics and artists in the community and around the world. With funding in art, dance, drama and music, Medici supports artists and scholars' projects within their respective disciplines. This unique program assigns a faculty mentor and a patron to support each project, ensuring students receive an enriching educational experience.
To learn more about UCI Arts, visit arts.uci.edu.