A ribbon-cutting ceremony held on January 26, 2025 marked the culmination of a vision made possible by philanthropist Maria Manetti Shrem through her transformative gift of over $20 million to the arts at UC Davis.

Four UC Davis alumni spent the winter learning how to draw from observation at the Royal Drawing School in London with the support of an international scholarship. Students curated their own programs, choosing from a variety of courses such as life drawing, etching and printmaking.