Lionel Popkin has been named the permanent dean of the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, effective May 1, following his service as interim dean since February 2024, according to an April 7 announcement.
Popkin’s appointment comes at a time when leadership and stability are considered vital for the school. During his interim tenure, he expanded support for student scholarships and faculty research, strengthened the school’s board, encouraged collaboration across departments, and advanced capital planning projects.
UCLA Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt said in a message to campus that “his instinct to gather the school’s community in difficult moments, and to make the dean’s office itself a space for the display of student work, speaks to a leader who understands that institutional strength and community well-being are inseparable.” Hunt also said that Popkin brings “a deep commitment to transparency, ethical leadership, and the belief that the arts and education are among the most powerful forces for change in the world.”
Popkin joined UCLA Arts in 2006 as a professor of choreography. He has served as associate dean of academic affairs from 2021 to 2024; chair of world arts and cultures/dance from 2015 to 2018; equity advisor from 2020 to 2021; chairs UCLA Chancellor’s Council on the Arts; and has participated on committees related to research, undergraduate education, academic personnel, and finance. As an artist himself, Popkin has performed internationally with works presented at venues across several continents. His latest project premiered in March at REDCAT in Los Angeles. He is currently working on a manuscript set for publication by Intellect Press in 2027.
In response to his appointment as permanent dean, Popkin said: “Serving as interim dean these past two years has been deeply humbling. During this challenging time for the arts and for higher education, I’ve witnessed extraordinary and inspiring work from our staff, our faculty and especially our students — work that changes how we see the world and how we see ourselves.” He continued: “In moments like these, our creative contributions have their most profound value… I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to carry this mission forward… with whom to forge the future of UCLA Arts.”
The University of California Los Angeles is known for its association with Nobel laureates and MacArthur Fellows according to its official website. The university operates within a larger system supporting scholarship excellence across academics including arts according to its official website. It fosters diversity through various programs according to its official website on its extensive campus which supports both academic pursuits according to its official website as well as research activities.