OpenFieldMECA&D · Portland, Maine, United States
Maine College of Art & Design is a private art and design college in the vibrant downtown arts district of Portland, Maine. Founded in 1882, MECA&D is celebrated for metalsmithing, woodworking, ceramics, illustration, and socially engaged contemporary art.
MECA&D offers BFA, MFA, and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees anchored in 24/7 studio culture. It houses the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA at MECA&D), the Joanne Waxman Library, and state-of-the-art digital fabrication and printmaking studios.
Admissions are portfolio-driven, evaluating 10 to 15 creative works demonstrating technical curiosity, personal voice, and craftsmanship alongside high school transcripts and artist statements.
Studio-intensive curriculum teaching fabrication, casting, enameling, stone setting, and digital 3D jewelry modeling with individual dedicated studio spaces.
Interdisciplinary, low-residency graduate degree combining intensive summer studio residencies in Portland with independent off-campus studio mentorship across painting, sculpture, and video.
Distinctive craft degree integrating traditional hand-tool joinery, steam bending, CNC routing, sustainable lumber harvesting, and contemporary functional furniture design.
Hands-on curatorial fellowship organizing contemporary gallery exhibitions, writing critical catalog essays, and coordinating public artist lectures.
The college's premier competitive award recognizing an incoming freshman whose creative portfolio displays exceptional conceptual depth, technical skill, and originality.
Community-based social practice internship designing public murals, running youth printmaking workshops, and organizing accessibility initiatives in the Portland arts community.
President and Cultural Arts Leader
Office of the President
Dr. Laura Freid has served as President of Maine College of Art & Design since 2017, overseeing strategic campus expansion, endowment growth, and new digital me...
View researcher profile ↗Professor of Metalsmithing & Jewelry and Craft Chair
Department of Metalsmithing & Jewelry
Prof. Christine Higgins is an acclaimed studio jeweler whose wearable artworks explore found materials, electroforming, and contemporary sculptural adornment....
View researcher profile ↗Professor and Program Chair of Woodworking & Furniture Design
Department of Woodworking & Furniture Design
Prof. Matt Hutton is an award-winning furniture designer whose work blends traditional steam bending, CNC digital fabrication, and architectural furniture craft...
View researcher profile ↗OpenField is an independent research platform not officially affiliated with Maine College of Art & Design. Information reflects public documentation reviewed on 2026-10-16. Students must verify application deadlines, fee structures, and prerequisite details directly with official university admissions departments before applying.
Updated 2026-10-16 · Editorial policy · Submit corrections