About
Since 1882, Maine College of Art & Design has been providing transformative learning experiences within an intimate and demanding educational environment by preparing students in the areas of artistic excellence, creative entrepreneurship, and civic engagement.
We believe that an artist's life is centered on their studio practice. For us, the studio is both a public and private place where artists undertake research, experimentation, reflection, collaboration, and problem-solving, all in preparation for creating and presenting meaningful artwork. Our students learn that a lively and enduring studio practice will allow them to become creative agents in the world.
Our Vision
We envision a world enriched by artists and designers who are empowered to create with profound and practical impact.
Our Mission
Educate artists and designers for life. Embolden a diverse group of creative thinkers to ask questions and to solve problems. Activate students of all pursuits to make art, make an impact, and inspire change.
Core Values
We are EXPERTS. Every day we hone our grasp of method, material, process, and technique, immersing ourselves in learning our craft with rigor from the ground up. We respect the educational process and how it informs both practice and creativity, and commit to sharing, cherishing and challenging the methods and concepts used by artists and makers before us.
We are AGILE. We adapt to the world around us and we experiment with verve. Now more than ever, ideas with elasticity are imperative to the dynamic artist. We educate to create sustainably, scalably, differently, in communities large and small. From this springboard, our potential to influence the world becomes possible.
We are INCLUSIVE. We are committed to all artists and designers—no matter who they are, where they come from, or what their goals are. We believe placing this value at the forefront of our work cultivates artists who are true agents of change and connects our community to the world in meaningful ways.
We are SUPPORTIVE. Through individualized education, thoughtful discourse with our faculty, integrated career preparation and professional services, and an ethos of celebration over competition, we enable a culture of shared accountability, visibility and collaborative success.
We are ANCHORED. As Portland’s creative heartbeat, we draw upon the ebbs and flows of our city and state for both influence and opportunity. To honor our relationship with our urban hub and natural surroundings, we as cultural workers strive to make our community’s goals ours, invite it to inspire everything we do, and return impact at every possible turn.
We are TRANSFORMATIONAL. We draw from our unparalleled setting and the diversity of our creativity to grow through every pursuit—by taking risks, by following through, by willing bravery and by seizing every opportunity to make our mark. We embrace our evolution, propelled by the knowledge that creative growth through art, within ourselves and our culture, can ultimately provide fulfillment.
To learn more, read our Strategic Plan.
Diversity Statement
To give further definition and distinction to Maine College of Art & Design’s institutional mission and to advance the goal of diversity in the strategic plan, we have implemented a set of principles to strengthen our learning community and cultivate an environment that prepares our students to thrive in a diverse and global world.
Maine College of Art & Design recognizes that diversity is integral to the academic experience and strives to foster an inclusive culture defined by respect, equity and social responsibility. These principles serve as another catalyst for our students, faculty, staff and trustees to become the critically engaged citizens upon whom our world depends.
Land Acknowledgment
The Portland campus of Maine College of Art & Design rests on the unceded land of the Wabanaki Confederacy. Comprising the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, and Mi’kmaq, as well as the Abenaki peoples, this community has stewarded this land for generations.
We pay our respects to them, ancestral and contemporary, as we acknowledge the realities of the genocide of colonial settlement. We invite you to consider finding ways of honoring and supporting the First Nations communities here and throughout the world.
Portland, ME
Located on the southern coast of Maine, Portland offers a unique blend of culture, community, outdoor recreation, and great food. With access to beaches, lakes, and forests just minutes away, students can enjoy all the opportunities of a city while surrounded by natural beauty. Portland is also an art town packed with galleries and studios open for Art Walk on the first Friday of every month.