History. CalArts was originally formed in 1961, as a merger of the Chouinard Art Institute (founded 1921) and the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music (founded 1883). Both of the formerly existing institutions were going through financial difficulties, and the founder of the Art Institute, Nelbert Chouinard, was mortally ill. Walt Disney was longtime friends with both Chouinard and …

California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) is a private university in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1968 and, as of 2020, operates in two locations: the main campus near the confluence of the Civic Center, SoMa, and Mission districts, and another campus for the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Potrero Hill neighborhood.