A new exhibition featuring work by recent University of California alumni showcases the university’s commitment to arts education as art schools across the country close, according to a March 26 announcement. The show, titled “Open Inquiry: UC Arts,” is hosted at the Sausalito Center for the Arts until April 12, 2026.
The closure of several prominent arts and design universities in recent years has limited opportunities for students seeking degrees in the arts. This trend underscores the importance of institutions like UC that continue to support and expand their arts programs.
During a panel discussion on March 22, three deans from UC arts programs addressed the state and value of arts education. Sara Guyer, dean of the Division of Arts & Humanities at UC Berkeley, said that three of Berkeley’s fastest-growing majors are music, art practice, and film & media studies. “What defines Berkeley’s signature is that the arts are not contained, they are embedded across the university. Artists here are in constant dialogue with scholars in every field, and that exchange doesn’t just inform their work; it reshapes how knowledge itself is produced,” she told moderator Will Kane. Guyer added: “In a world dominated by automation and artificial intelligence, our students will be even better prepared for careers because they’ve been trained to think in an open-ended way.”
Noah Guynn, associate dean at UC Davis’ Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies faculty, noted rising applications for MFA programs as well as expanded support thanks to major private gifts such as one from Maria Manetti Shrem. “There is a great deal of heartache in the community for the loss of these private institutions for the arts,” Guynn said. “But we’re very proud of the fact that we serve the public and then maintain really healthy arts programs.” Lionel Popkin, interim dean at UCLA School of Arts and Architecture said: “What’s amazing about the West Coast is that exceptional artists want to teach, to be part of discourse and move fields forward. If there are fewer art schools around, there are fewer people to invent, and that’s bad for all of us.” He also highlighted how UCLA’s museums offer programming to half a million visitors annually.
Curator Jennifer Bailey Wechsler commented on UC’s thriving art school culture despite widespread closures elsewhere: “The young alumni… have signed on with galleries… shown in prestigious fairs like Frieze… [and] receive mentorship from some California’s most notable artists. University of California arts education is more important than ever.”
The “Open Inquiry” exhibition opened with a reception on March 21 at Sausalito Center for the Arts.
