From the Nominator

CalArts: Based on a True Story served as the 50th anniversary edition of the California Institute of the Arts' alumni magazine, The Pool. It was distributed during the CalArts 50th anniversary weekend, which welcomed thousands of alumni, students, current and former staff and faculty, and arts lovers to campus. The adage "everyone's a critic" rings even more true at CalArts, which has distinguished names among its alumni and faculty, including John Baldessari, Carrie Mae Weems, Mark Bradford, Charles Gaines, Ed Harris, and Alison Brie. We knew that we had to produce a magazine that was eye-catching, substantive, and appealing to our audience. For the content portion of the magazine, we scoured our archives and worked with writers who were from CalArts' community or had already written for us. For the design side of the magazine, we worked with the L.A.-based design firm Handbuilt Studio, which features three CalArts alumnae from different generations. The 50th anniversary edition of The Pool had to be special because CalArts is such a special place—loaded with lore and magic. The magazine was extremely well received within and outside our community. Anecdotally speaking, the magazine served as a true keepsake, as people did not leaving copies behind. Usually we have hundreds of copies of magazines leftover after runs, but in this case, even months later, people keep asking for the magazine "with the pink cover." We only have about a dozen left for archival purposes.

From the Judges

The content of this magazine is impressive, showcasing remarkable creativity and hard work. The eye-catching design and Easter eggs made for engaging audience interaction. The attention to detail and editorial vision are breathtaking. It's great to see many alumni contributions across all areas, highlighting a strong sense of community.