UCI Arts Unveils 60th Anniversary Timeline Wall

New installation in Winifred Smith Hall highlights six decades of artistic history at UC Irvine

The Claire Trevor School of the Arts (UCI Arts) has unveiled a new timeline wall in the lobby of Winifred Smith Hall, celebrating UC Irvine’s 60th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of the school’s naming.

The installation traces the development of UCI Arts through key moments in art, dance, drama and music from the 1960s to present day. Designed as an environmental graphic, the wall highlights the school’s artistic legacy, interdisciplinary identity and continuing impact on Orange County and beyond.

The project was led by co-curators Scott Stone, research librarian for performing arts at UC Irvine Libraries, and UCI Arts staff members Jaime DeJong, senior director of marketing and communications, and Diana Kalaji, senior communications specialist.

Over a three-month research period, the curatorial team met weekly in Special Collections and Archives to review thousands of photographs, programs and institutional records. Their goal was to identify moments that represented the school’s development while balancing the histories of its four departments.
Because no single installation could include every significant production, exhibition, faculty member or student achievement, the team focused on milestones that reflected artistic innovation, institutional growth and national recognition. The final selections create a broad narrative of the school’s evolution from its earliest years to the present.

Archival research also helped recover stories and images that had become less visible over time. Historic photographs offered views of earlier performances, exhibitions and campus spaces, while programs and records helped place those images within a larger chronology.

Designed for Winifred Smith Hall

The installation was designed specifically for the Winifred Smith Hall lobby, a central gathering space for students, faculty, artists and audiences, by Emily Zheng, multimedia specialist for UCI Arts.

The timeline moves from left to right, following the natural direction visitors travel through the lobby. This orientation allows people to encounter the school’s history as they move through the space, whether they stop to explore the full chronology or pause at a single image or milestone.

“We needed to present a substantial amount of history in a way that still felt clear, accessible and appropriate for the lobby,” said DeJong. “Our goal was to create something that felt seamless with the space and the UCI Arts brand, but was still compelling enough to make people stop and take a closer look. Emily did exactly that.”

The result is both an educational resource and a placemaking feature that strengthens the identity of Winifred Smith Hall. Current students can see themselves as part of a longer artistic tradition, while alumni and returning visitors may recognize people, productions or moments from their own time at UCI.

A Community Contribution

Led by Kalaji, the timeline debuted during a school anniversary celebration with an interactive activity inviting visitors to contribute personal memories and milestone moments.

The activation expanded the historical record beyond the dates and images selected for the permanent installation. It also emphasized that the school’s history includes not only major institutional achievements but the individual experiences of the people who have studied, taught, performed and created at UCI.

The research completed for the Winifred Smith Hall timeline will also support two future timeline installations planned for other spaces within the Claire Trevor School of the Arts. Together, the projects will allow the school to share more of its history and broaden the range of stories represented.

Developed by a small internal team, the timeline now serves as a permanent record of the school’s first six decades while providing a foundation for future anniversary storytelling.

To learn more about UCI Arts, visits arts.uci.edu.