Be Part of MICA’s Bicentennial Weekend 🎉

This isn’t an ordinary weekend at MICA. October 9-11, MICA Bicentennial Weekend brings three days of art, conversations, making and celebration to campus, and as a current student, you’re part of the generation carrying MICA into its next century.

Hear from renowned alumni artists Jen Stark ’05 and Jeff Koons ’76, explore Art Market and exhibitions, connect with alumni across creative industries, join the Parade of Classes, experience open houses and showcases, enjoy Dinner Under the Tent, and much more.

Spend your Fall Break celebrating 200 years of MICA with friends and family, and be part of history!

See what’s happening & register at the link below.

President's Convocation Speech

At this year's convocation, President Cecilia McCormick spoke to new students about the power of education. She quoted Nelson Mandela -- "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" -- to remind students that education is a lifelong investment. While their college education only began last week, she explained that students will quickly understand that the experience will shape their lives forever, changing what they see, believe, and do. 

After receiving requests, President McCormick has made her speech available online. Visit the link below to read the speech.

The other speeches delivered at convocation will be available next week from Provost Raymond Barclay, FEC Chair Kristian Bjornard, and student Mars Pursley

Making America Again:
So Strong, So Brave, So True

On view: August 28 - September 29
Sheila & Richard Riggs Gallery

Reception: Thursday, September 3, 5:00 - 7:00pm

Making America Again: So Strong, So Brave, So True, includes artwork by a representative cohort of Ford/Philip Morris Foundation Fellow for Artists of Color (1985-1999), whose careers have had a decided impact in the global art world. The exhibition was curated by Dr. Leslie King Hammond, Graduate Dean Emerita and Founder of Center for Race and Culture, and Dr. Lowery Stokes Sims, Curator Emerita, Museum of Arts and Design. 

Image credit: Monica Ikegwu, Open / Close (Diptych), 2021, Oil on canvas, 48 x 36 inches each, Courtesy of Dr. Myrtis Bedolla and Alex Hyman Collection

Join the Global Creatives community for a viewing of Liyana

September 4,  4 pm, Leake Hall 101

LIYANA is a genre-defying documentary that tells the story of five children in the Kingdom of Eswatini who turn past trauma into an original tale about a girl named Liyana who embarks on a perilous quest to save her young twin brothers. The film weaves her animated journey together with poetic documentary scenes to create an inspiring story of perseverance and hope.

Executive produced by Emmy-winner Thandie Newton, and produced by Oscar-winner Daniel Junge, LIYANA features innovative animated artwork by Shofela Coker and an original score by Philip Miller.

The 8x10, New Incoming Student Exhibition

On View: August 19 – September 13 in Main 0 Gallery.

This exhibition showcases the talent of our new incoming students. Thoughtful storytelling, strong technical skills, and diverse visual interpretations to three prompts (Your idea of home; Change you are fighting for; The self-portrait) are on full display as we welcome this new incoming class to the MICA community and celebrate their very first exhibition on the MICA campus! 

Fashioning Identity and Power: A Discussion of Clothing and Pattern in the Portraiture of Kira Nam Greene

Monday, September 14, 2026 12:00–1:00 Falvey Hall 

Programming by MICA Exhibitions and the Painting Department along with the on-campus exhibition DEVOTED: 20 Years of The McMillan-Stewart Endowed Chair in Painting Artist Kira Nam Greene and MICA fashion historian Victoria Pass will be in conversation about the role of fashion, pattern, and art history in Greene's portrait paintings.

Lecture by Leyla Faye, McMillan Stewart Endowed Chair of Painting

Monday, September 21 from 12-1pm in Falvey Hall

Please join us for a lecture by Leyla Faye, one of this year's McMillan Stewart Endowed Chairs of Painting. Leyla Faye stages painting as a place of deliberate undoing. Animating her own body as a site of reversal, she turns the self-portrait against itself. Leyla Faye received her BFA in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design and her MFA in Painting and Printmaking at the Yale School of Art in New Haven. In September 2026, she will present Theft of Fire, her second solo exhibition with Company Gallery, New York. 

Make an Impact: MICA Day of Service Returns 

Tuesday, October 13, from 9:00 am – 3:30 pmduring Fall Break! 

Join MICA students, staff, and faculty for Fall Day of Service. Check-in and project transportation will begin at BBOX. Across Baltimore, volunteers will work alongside community partners on hands-on projects including mural painting, neighborhood greening, park beautification, art room preparation, and creating vibrant painted boards for vacant homes. An additional installation day with the West North Avenue Development Authority will take place Saturday, October 17, from 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Spots are limited, so register through the Day of Service registration form and sign up early! Bring your creativity, energy, and commitment to being a good neighbor.

From Smithsonian Collections to the Classroom

Museum collections hold extraordinary stories—and this summer, Faculty Member, Ruth Toulson, stepped behind the scenes at the Smithsonian to learn how to bring those stories into the classroom. As a Faculty Fellow with the Smithsonian Institution’s Summer Institute in Museum Anthropology, Toulson worked hands-on with collections at the National Museum of Natural History, while exploring the ethical responsibilities that guide museum-based research. The fellowship will reshape Toulson’s teaching, giving MICA students new opportunities to investigate collections, engage with cultural materials, and uncover the stories objects hold.

Virtual Voter Distributor Training 

Date: Sept 4th from 4-5 PM.

If you’re interested in supporting the Center for Mission & Community Education on National Voter Registration Day, you’ll need to learn how to be a Voter Registration Distributor! The Baltimore Board of Elections is holding a Virtual Training on Friday, Sept 4th. You must be a US citizen & Maryland resident to register people to vote in the State of Maryland. 

If you are interested in volunteering, sign up at the link below.

National Voter Registration Day

Date: Sept 15th, 11:30-1:30 PM

The 2026 Midterms in November will be significant, with over 500 federal, state & local seats up for election. Make sure you’re registered to vote! 

The Center for Mission & Community Education & League of Women Voters will be tabling at Meyerhoff House, Cohen Plaza & Founders Green to help our campus get out the vote! Interested in volunteering? Contact Marissa Vazhappilly at mvazhappilly@mica.edu!

Call for designers, graphic designers and photographers

We're seeking designers, graphic designers, and photographers interested in participating in the show!

Attend the Info session on Sept 2nd from 2:00-4:00 PM to learn more!

Paid artist opportunity for MICA student artists!

We’re excited to share a paid artist opportunity for MICA student artists! Hotel Revival is looking for two MICA student artists to create live artwork while guests dine at an upcoming event at Topside, our rooftop restaurant in Mount Vernon.

- Create Live Art in a Restaurant
- Paid Opportunity
- Meet The Artist Feature
- Sell Your Work On-site
- PR, Social, & Email Exposure

This is a great opportunity to showcase your work in a lively hospitality setting and connect with guests and the Baltimore community. Hotel Revival is located at 101 W. Monument Street in Baltimore.

Interested artists can email Paris Jackson with your name, type of artwork/medium, and a link and or photos of your work to be considered. 

Applications are now open for SCC's Fall Therapeutic DnD Group

The Student Counseling Center (SCC) invites students to apply for "Roll Play!" (Upperclassmen are especially encouraged to apply) Mondays or Wednesdays, 4-6:30 p.m., starting the week of September 14th “Dungeons & Dragons” Tabletop Role Playing Game Therapeutic Group. Enter a shared world of fantasy & collaborative storytelling. Build confidence, communication skills, develop frustration tolerance & emotional resilience, & further personal growth. Facilitated by the SCC. Use the sign up below for screenings for our therapeutic DnD groups

Apply for the Arts in Leadership Fellowship

Due Date for Applications is October 22, 2026

The MICA Arts in Leadership Fellowship is a competitive, paid four-year opportunity preparing students to become socially engaged artists, creative leaders, and nonprofit professionals. Fellows receive a stipend each year while working alongside Baltimore community organizations and developing leadership, project management, and grant writing skills.

Through hands-on experiences, Fellows build professional experience, meaningful relationships with community partners, and the skills needed to create sustainable impact. By graduation, Fellows have a strong network, a portfolio of real-world projects, and practical experience that can distinguish them in graduate school and the creative workforce.

MyCareWell@MICA—Always On, Never Off…24/7

Welcome to Fall 2026 at MICA. The Student Counseling Center (SCC) presents MyCareWell@MICA and the Telus Health Student Support App. All MICA students registered for the Fall Semester are able to use MyCareWell@MICA- 24/7 support line provides you with in-the-moment support from a counselor, regardless of the time of day or your location – Call (866) 443-0538 to reach the 24/7 support line. 

Telus Health Student Support App lets MICA students browse and engage in health and wellness resources on the go, start a live chat, and/or speak with a counselor when logged into the Telus Health Student Support App. 

Follow this link https://telusproduction.com/app/5108.html to open your iPhone or Google Play store, download the Telus Health Student Support app, and use your MICA email to login and create a password. 

For detailed information about the Student Counseling Center (SCC) and all counseling options available visit SCC on the 2nd floor of 81 Mosher or visit online at the link below.

Disability Centered Affinity Group 

Every Wednesday from 3 pm - 4 pm in Bunting 110 Accessibility and Disability Services will be hosting a disability centered affinity group for students with disabilities to confidentially listen and share about their experience being disabled at MICA. 

CATALYST

Due date: September 11, 2026.
Exhibition: October 1-26, 2026.
Reception: October 5th, 3-5 PM, Mosher Living Room, 81 Mosher Building. 

Fall Mission Exhibition What brings us together? CATALYST explores how art creates spaces for encounter, dialogue, participation, and collective reflection. All MICA students, faculty, and staff are welcome to submit work exploring connection, collaboration, belonging, gathering, and collective action. Submissions may include photography, printmaking, zines, mixed media,short video works presented on a loop.

Please submit your artwork at the link below.