Deserted S.F. art campus has a new name, and vision for its future

San Francisco Chronicle​

2 days ago

A beloved city landmark that served as one of San Francisco's oldest art schools for nearly a century has a new name.
Once the San Francisco Art Institute's former campus at 800 Chestnut St. in the cinematic Russian Hill neighborhood reopens its doors, it will do so as the California Academy of Studio Arts, or 'CASA' for short.
The name comes from the BMA-Institute, a new nonprofit led by a board composed of prominent local arts leaders and backed by philanthropist and entrepreneur Laurene Powell Jobs, who gave the aging the 93,000-square-foot, two-building campus a new lease on life as an 'innovative studio program and arts center' after purchasing it for $23 million last February.
The deal came after the art school abruptly closed its doors in 2022 due to bankruptcy, leaving its aging campus and its crown jewel — a preserved $50 million Diego Rivera mural that hangs within its walls — without a stewart, and facing an uncertain future.
The property's new name is reflective of its future studio-based programming, details of which emerged this week: a total of 30 emerging visual artists will be able to take part in year-long, unaccredited programs for free.
They'll receive access to a 'range of resources to nurture their practice, including studio space, shared workshops, mentorship from practicing artists, and platforms for public engagement,' BMA-Institute said in a statement Thursday, adding that the program encourages 'creative exploration and collaboration across disciplines.'
The group said that CASA's programming is inspired by the 'experimental spirit' of Black Mountain College, a progressive, private liberal arts college in North Carolina that attracted pioneers in art, music, architecture, poetry and more, but closed down in 1957.
'The Bay Area has long been a magnet for remarkable creativity and innovation,' said Powell Jobs, CASA's founder and board president, in the press statement. 'CASA builds on the legacy and the bold spirit of Black Mountain College, supporting artists through connection, experimentation, and care. We are creating a dynamic experimental program that will be informed by the artists themselves.'
Since purchasing the campus last year, her team has been in a 'deep period of research' of past and present arts education models across the country and globally, and launched 'listening sessions' to inform its curriculum, they said. The plan is to develop an 'experimental program' that is responsive to the needs of working artists, according to CASA Director Abbye Churchill and curator Hans Ulrich, who have been leading these discussions.
Earlier this year, BMA-Institute filed an application with the city seeking approval for its renovation plans for the campus, which consists of an original Spanish colonial-style building designed by Bakewell & Brown and a 1960s brutalist addition designed by Paffard Keatinge-Clay. The campus was built a century ago, and was declared a landmark in 1977.
Once approved, the renovation work is expected to begin in September, and span several years. The property's redesign — led by Jensen Architects, Laplace, and Page & Turnbull Construction — will feature private studios, shared workshops and communal areas for cooking, dining, and gathering.
'We don't have an opening date yet, but we will be able to share details on the construction timeline once our renovation and design plans are complete and the project is awarded to a contractor,' a spokesperson for the nonprofit told the Chronicle.
CASA will also reopen public access to the 1931 mural Diego mural, ' The Making of a Fresco Showing the Building of a City,' and introduce new public spaces including a café and art bookstore.
The nonprofit's spokesperson said that public access to the mural, which has been locked away from view in recent years, is 'integral to our program plans, which will ensure the campus is woven seamlessly back into the life of the surrounding community and the arts ecosystem of San Francisco.
Hours of operation are still being determined and will be shared as they are finalized, the spokesperson said.
Mayor Daniel Lurie, who has been focused on revitalizing downtown San Francisco, which has seen commercial vacancy skyrocket and arts and culture institutions struggle in the wake of the pandemic, said that the city's 'arts community is driving our comeback.'
' Helping the former San Francisco Art Institute campus transform into the California Academy of Studio Arts will support San Francisco's artists, welcome others from across the world, and help drive our city's economic comeback,' Lurie said.