The historic San Francisco Art Institute campus, which shuttered in 2023 following bankruptcy, is being revitalized as the California Academy of Studio Arts (CASA). Founded by billionaire philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, the new center will offer a free, unaccredited, year-long studio program for up to 30 emerging visual artists. The initiative aims to foster an experimental environment inspired by Black Mountain College, providing mentorship, workshops, and public engagement platforms.
This transformation marks a significant victory for the San Francisco art scene, preserving a landmarked site that houses a vital 1931 Diego Rivera mural. By pivoting from a traditional tuition-based model to a donor-funded residency and public hub, CASA represents a new paradigm for arts education and urban renewal. The involvement of high-profile figures like Hans Ulrich Obrist suggests the project intends to position the Bay Area as a global center for contemporary artistic discourse.