[1] They established the Idyllwild Arts Foundation in 1946 and purchased land in the San Jacinto Mountains on which to build.
Norman Corwin, Ansel Adams, Herbert Zipper, Marguerite N. Clapp, Mark Wilke, Bella Lewitzky, Fritz Scholder, Maria Martinez, Lucy Lewis, Pete Seeger, and Meredith Willson taught courses there in the summer.
In 1964, the school was given to the University of Southern California (USC) under the terms of an agreement with the Idyllwild Arts Foundation.
Visual artists can select courses from introductory art exploration to ceramics, advanced painting and drawing, jewelry, photography, computer animation, mixed media, and video production.
Part of the program involves theme-related workshops, seminars, and performances featuring artists, poets, and musicians.