UCLA - University of California - Los Angeles
01/22/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 01/22/2025 14:00
Chon Noriega appointed interim dean of UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
Chon Noriega has been named the interim dean of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Currently a distinguished professor in the school's department of film, television and digital media, Noriega will begin his tenure Feb. 1 and serve until June 30 - or until a permanent dean is appointed.
He succeeds the school's former dean, Brian Kite, who starts his new role as dean and vice provost of graduate education next month.
Noriega, a faculty member at the school since 1992 and the former director of UCLA's Chicano Studies Research Center, is an expert on Chicano and Latino arts, artists and media whose research explores these topics through their aesthetic, social and institutional histories.
In conjunction with his scholarship, he has archived and preserved the works and papers of filmmakers, artists and community-based arts institutions and curated numerous projects focused on Chicano painting, graphics and other visual arts. Widely recognized as an expert in his field, Noriega has been praised by ARTnews magazine as one of the curators "shaping the way art is presented around the globe."
In his 19 years as director of the Chicano Studies Research Center (2002-21), Noriega helped amass the one of country's largest repositories of archival and library holdings related to Chicano and Latino communities, and organized public programs that reached more than 800,000 people - including exhibitions at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Autry Museum of the American West and for the Getty's PST.
During his tenure, the center's press published over 30 scholarly books that earned more than 63 international awards, and Noriega advanced a broad spectrum of multiyear research projects on archival preservation and access, arts and culture, the economy, education, LGBTQ and gender equity, immigration rights, public health, and urban poverty.
In addition, Noriega established four endowed funds at the center and oversaw the development of collaborative projects with more than 150 community organizations, public institutions and colleges.
A co-founder of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Noriega has been active in facilitating access for underrepresented groups working in media and the arts. In 2013, he helped to establish a national undergraduate mentorship program to diversify the curatorial ranks at six comprehensive art museums.
"Given his previous leadership roles at UCLA and his knowledge and expertise in the campus, local and national arts community, I am confident that Professor Noriega will provide effective guidance and oversight for TFT students, staff and faculty and continue to be a valuable contributor to the overall arts ecosystem at UCLA," said UCLA Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt.