Maine College of Art & Design

Maine College of Art & Design The College has transformed a former department store into the main campus building with vibrant classrooms and studios that are open 24/7.

Through our 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, access to state-of-the-art facilities, 24-hour-a-day studio access, and our central location in Portland’s creative community, this is the right-sized city and right-sized school to make your mark. Located in the heart of the Portland Arts District, Maine College of Art offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Arts, Master of Arts i

n Teaching, Salt Graduate Certificate in Documentary Studies, as well as Continuing Studies for adults and youths, including a Pre-College intensive for high school students. Also located in the Porteous Building, the Institute of Contemporary Art at MECA serves a critical regional role in its commitment to presenting contemporary, provocative work by living artists from Maine and around the globe. The Joanne Waxman Library is one of the largest independent libraries in Northern New England and a major resource for the region. At MECA, undergraduate students spend the first year developing a foundation and the second year exploring a variety of media. At the start of junior year, students declare a major and spend the next two years working within their discipline. MECA offers 11 majors in the BFA program: Ceramics, Digital Media, Graphic Design, Illustration, Metalsmithing & Jewelry, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Textile & Fashion Design, and Woodworking & Furniture Design. The College provides individual studios to all juniors and seniors. MECA is part of a five-college alliance that allows students to access classes and resources in the surrounding area.

06/02/2026

The Annual MEC&AD Pride Window Murals are up! This year, four student mural designs were selected and can be viewed from Congress Street. The mural designs from left to right feature work by Hunter Hamilton, Finlay LaLonde, Grim Medina. E, and Anna Mayer. The designs were collaboratively painted by students and faculty on the windows of the Joanne Waxman Library and will remain on view through the end of Summer. Make sure you take a stroll down Congress Street to see them 🌈 Happy Pride!

Special thanks to Assistant Director of Admissions Elyse Grams for coordinating the Window Murals and the MECA&D Pride Parade!

Meet John P. Gardiner '07, MFA '14, whose work will be included in this year's Collect Art Sale, opening Friday, June 5,...
06/01/2026

Meet John P. Gardiner '07, MFA '14, whose work will be included in this year's Collect Art Sale, opening Friday, June 5, and running through Sunday, June 7! John is a MECA&D faculty member and has exhibited his work at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Portland, the CMCA in Rockland, and First Street Gallery in NYC.

This year's Collect Summer Art Sale features work from over 150 artists and approximately 450 pieces across styles and media, including ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, painting, and more.

Learn more: https://meca.edu/news/4a30817/

Dementia care is often defined by what changes. Memory, language, and routine can become less reliable. But the ability ...
06/01/2026

Dementia care is often defined by what changes. Memory, language, and routine can become less reliable. But the ability to create and connect often remains. Expressive arts therapy builds on that foundation. Through visual art, movement, and storytelling, individuals can express emotion, stay engaged, and connect without relying on memory or precise language. For professionals in care, education, and community settings, this represents a meaningful shift in practice. The Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy offers a structured way to develop these skills and apply them in real-world contexts.

Learn more: https://online.meca.edu/news-events/null/how-does-expressive-art-therapy-support-memory-care

You’re invited to the opening reception for Hungry Eyes, an exhibition of 2026 MECA&D graduates’ work at 49 Oak on Frida...
05/29/2026

You’re invited to the opening reception for Hungry Eyes, an exhibition of 2026 MECA&D graduates’ work at 49 Oak on Friday, June at 5:00pm. Hungry Eyes explores appetite, the animal, and the sensation of consuming art through the work of sculptors Cam Fox '26 and Tom Dailey '26, and painters Bets Ondrey '26 and Sophia Sutherland '26.

In this selection of work, the empty and plentiful become spaces of discovery. The figure and field are layered, while abstraction and reference converge. The work questions: what is held within our sight, and what sneaks beyond our grasp?

Explore the: https://meca.edu/event/75de8b7/

Meet Kat Miller '19, whose work will be included in this year's Collect Art Sale, opening Friday, June 5 and running thr...
05/28/2026

Meet Kat Miller '19, whose work will be included in this year's Collect Art Sale, opening Friday, June 5 and running through Sunday, June 7! Kat is a co-director of 82 Parris and has exhibited her series, Girls Interrupted, at Creative Debuts in London, England.

This year's Collect Summer Art Sale features work from over 150 artists and approximately 450 pieces across styles and media, including ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, painting, and more.

Learn more about this year's Collect: https://meca.edu/advancement/collect/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=organic%20direct&utm_campaign=facebook&utm_term=26spring&utm_content=image

Carve out some time this summer to devote to art! Our Summer Continuing Studies classes are still open for registration ...
05/27/2026

Carve out some time this summer to devote to art! Our Summer Continuing Studies classes are still open for registration for artists and anyone looking to unwind with a creative outlet. Explore the entire list of courses via the link in bio to snag your spot before classes close! Explore the list of courses and snag your spot before classes close: https://meca.edu/academics/continuing-studies/

Meet Olivia Van Oot '24, whose work will be included in this year's Collect Art Sale! Olivia was named a Windgate-Lamar ...
05/26/2026

Meet Olivia Van Oot '24, whose work will be included in this year's Collect Art Sale! Olivia was named a Windgate-Lamar Fellow in 2024 and recently featured in the Maine Wood 2026 exhibition at , as well as in A Craft of Their Own at the in Rockland, Maine.

Join us on June 5-7, in person at or online, for this year's Collect Summer Art Sale, featuring work from over 150 artists (including Olivia!) and approximately 450 pieces across styles and media, including ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, painting, and more. When you purchase work at Collect, you help to make it possible for future artists to continue their education at MECA&D, where 100% of our students receive some form of financial aid.

Learn more about this year's Collect: https://meca.edu/advancement/collect/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=organic%20direct&utm_campaign=facebook&utm_term=26spring&utm_content=image

While people are protein-maxxing and searching for ways to live longer and healthier, researchers at the University Coll...
05/26/2026

While people are protein-maxxing and searching for ways to live longer and healthier, researchers at the University College London have found that participating in the arts boosts longevity by slowing down the rate of aging. The study used epigenetic clocks to assess the aging rate of 3,500 participants and found that engaging in the arts was associated with a 4% slower aging rate.

Interested in slowing down your aging? Our Continuing Studies classes are open to creatives and people new to art making: https://meca.edu/academics/continuing-studies/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=organic%20direct&utm_campaign=facebook&utm_term=26spring&utm_content=carousel%20

You don't want to miss this year's Collect Art Sale! The sale opens to the public at 11:00am on First Friday, June 5, an...
05/22/2026

You don't want to miss this year's Collect Art Sale! The sale opens to the public at 11:00am on First Friday, June 5, and runs through 2:00pm on Sunday, June 7, in person at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at MECA&D and online at shop.meca.edu. The work is available to preview online at shop.meca.edu on Wednesday, June 3, and in person at the ICA with Contributing Artist Connie Hayes ’80, Hon. DFA ’03, on Wednesday, June 3, from 2:00-3:00pm.

This year's Collect Art Sale will feature work from over 150 artists and approximately 450 pieces spanning styles and media, including ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, painting, and more.

Don't miss your chance to purchase work from emerging and established artists while supporting our student scholarship fund!

Learn more about the sale and participating artists: https://meca.edu/advancement/collect/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=organic%20direct&utm_campaign=facebook&utm_term=26spring&utm_content=image

We'd also like to thank this year’s sponsors: Allagash, Bath Savings, Canopy by Hilton, Clark Insurance, Harvard Pilgrim, Jensen Baird, Kennebec Savings Bank, Northern Benefits, Northeast Delta Dental, Northland, Philadelphia Insurance Companies, Sodexo, Waypoint Brokers Collective, Wipfli, Wright-Ryan, USI, and The VIA Agency.

05/21/2026

Do you want to explore how a creative process can be intentionally applied to support emotional awareness and communication to help people grow and learn? Our fully online, asynchronous Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy allows you to integrate this exploration into your work while balancing existing commitments.

Get the details about the Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy here: https://online.meca.edu/programs/online-programs

Address

522 Congress Street
Portland, ME
04101

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 8pm
Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+18006394808

Website

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