[Feb. 7, 2025—Valencia, Calif.] California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) announced today the appointment of Maria I. Ramos as Wallis Annenberg Director of the award-winning CalArts Community Arts Partnership (CAP). A co-curricular program of CalArts, CAP offers free after-school and school-based arts programs for youths ages 4-18 in every discipline taught at the Institute.
An experienced educator with more than two decades of expertise working with K-12 students and diverse communities, Ramos has an extensive background in teaching, community engagement, and building inclusive learning experiences, particularly for marginalized students with limited access to the arts. Prior to arriving at CalArts, Ramos spent nearly a decade with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), most recently as Manager of School and Education Community Programs.
“Maria’s experience with community outreach and creating programs for marginalized communities fits with the ethos of CAP,” said CalArts Provost Tracie Costantino. “I’m excited to see how CAP develops and grows under her leadership, while continuing to bring robust arts experiences to young people in our communities.”
“I am honored to join CalArts, a visionary institution committed to learning, mentorship, and building meaningful connections among students, colleagues, families, and communities through programs like CAP,” said Ramos. “Aligned with CalArts’ mission, my work has consistently centered on the learning process and the cultivation of a growth mindset as fundamental principles for both educators and students. As a passionate advocate for students and their creative growth, I view CalArts as an important catalyst for personal and professional development and look forward to collaborating with the CAP team and the broader CalArts community.”
Dedicated to using art as a platform for increasing social awareness, Ramos founded LACMA’s Stories from the Classroom and Teen HubLA programs, among several other student initiatives designed to empower young artists. These programs celebrated Los Angeles’ rich cultural diversity, while integrating visual and digital arts to explore identity and community through a social justice lens.
She has taught courses at Artworx LA, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (Los Angeles), and Escuela Estatal de Conservación y Restauración de Zacatecas, Refugio Reyes (Zacatecas, Mexico).
Ramos holds a bachelor’s degree in Art Education from California State University, Long Beach; a Master’s degree in Art History from California State University, Los Angeles; and a PhD in Art History, Theory, and Criticism from the University of California, San Diego. Her first day will be Monday, Feb. 10.
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CalArts Community Arts Partnership (CAP) has served since 1990 as the bridge between CalArts and the diverse communities of Los Angeles County, working to address the systemic and structural race and income-based opportunity gap in access to arts education. Through its programs, CAP provides innovative arts learning opportunities for CalArts students and alumni to develop and refine their arts teaching skills and solidify the integral role of artists in education and society.
California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) has set the pace for educating professional artists since 1970. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions. As successive generations of faculty and alumni have helped shape the landscape of contemporary arts, the Institute first envisioned by Walt Disney encompasses a vibrant, eclectic community with global reach, inviting experimentation, independent inquiry, and active collaboration and exchange among artists, artistic disciplines and cultural traditions.