Art Center Car Classic will take a one-year hiatus as Art Center plans its 60th anniversary celebration of Transportation Design

2008 marks a major milestone for Art Center College of Design. 60 years ago, Strother “Mac” MacMinn, an Art Center alum, created the first program focused specifically on transportation design. Since then, Art Center has become a global leader in transportation design, educating some of the finest automotive designers the world has ever seen — men and women who would forever change the industry through their innovation and creativity.

Through a series of new initiatives, Art Center is redefining transportation design education, keeping Art Center at the forefront of global leadership in the field. Transportation design continues to evolve, including issues ranging from systems and mobility to the environment and sustainability. Art Center has already begun to explore these issues with such recent College-wide initiatives as the Art Center Summit focused on sustainable mobility, the Vehicle Interior Simulation Lab, and the Color, Materials and Trends Exploration Laboratory (CMTEL).

The “new” Transportation Design Department will be revealed in November 2008 in conjunction with the Los Angeles Auto Show, followed by a series of events culminating with the Art Center Car Classic in 2009.

To adequately prepare for the challenging transformation ahead, the Art Center Car Classic will take a one-year hiatus. Car Classic has evolved over the years, from a casual gathering of car enthusiasts, to a renowned design-based event with world-class vehicles and internationally-renowned guest speakers, while showcasing the full range of art and design education at Art Center. Like transportation design itself, the Art Center Car Classic will be transformed when it returns in 2009.

To be placed on our mailing list to receive updates, please send an email with your contact information to carclassic@artcenter.edu

We will continue to keep you advised as the plans evolve.