CAA News

CAA wishes to thank the artists, art historians, curators, critics, educators, and other professionals in the visual arts who generously served as mentors in two Career Services programs at the 2012 Annual Conference in Los Angeles: the Artists’ Portfolio Review and Career Development Mentoring. The organization also thanks participants in the Mock Interview Sessions and the leaders of the Roundtable Discussions. Last, CAA acknowledges the efforts of Professional Development Workshops presenters and the speakers at Orientation.

Artists’ Portfolio Review

Michael Bzdak, Johnson & Johnson; Susan Canning, College of New Rochelle; Brian Curtis, University of Miami; Diane Edison, University of Georgia; Peter Kaniaris, Anderson University; Jason Lahr, University of Notre Dame; Suzanne F. W. Lemakis, Fine Arts Department, Citigroup; Craig Lloyd, College of Mount St. Joseph; Margaret Murphy, New Jersey City University; Judith Pratt, Judith Pratt Studio; Habibur Rahman, Claflin University; John Silvis, New York Center for Art and Media Studies; and Steve Teczar, Maryville University of Saint Louis.

Career Development Mentoring

Susan Altman, Middlesex County College; Michael Aurbach, Vanderbilt University; Jeff Downing, San Francisco State University; Ciara Ennis, Pitzer Art Galleries, Pitzer College; James Farmer, Virginia Commonwealth University; Reni Gower, Virginia Commonwealth University; Amy Hauft, Virginia Commonwealth University; Richard Heipp, University of Florida; Jim Hopfensperger, Western Michigan University; Dennis Y. Ichiyama, Purdue University; Sue Johnson, St. Mary’s College of Maryland; Bob Kaputof, Virginia Commonwealth University; Mitch Kern, Alberta College of Art and Design; John Kleinpeter, California State University, Long Beach; Heather McPherson, University of Alabama, Birmingham; Jo-Ann Morgan, Western Illinois University; Anna Novakov, St. Mary’s College of California; Morgan Paine, Florida Gulf Coast University; Pamela Patton, Southern Methodist University; Doralynn Pines, Metropolitan Museum of Art (retired); Andrea Polli, University of New Mexico; Judith Pratt, Judith Pratt Studio; David Raizman, Drexel University; David Sokol, University of Illinois, Chicago (emeritus); Katherine Taylor, Kennesaw State University; Joe A. Thomas, Kennesaw State University; Ann Tsubota, Raritan Valley Community College; Jenifer K. Ward, Cornish College of the Arts; John Watson, Webster University; and Charles Wright, Western Illinois University.

Mock Interview Sessions

Temma Balducci, Arkansas State University; Steven Bleicher, Coastal Carolina University; Susan Bowman, Rowan University; Scott Contreras-Koterbay, East Tennessee State University; Jessica Dandona, Dishman Art Museum, Lamar University; Sara Dismukes, Troy University; Randall C. Griffin, Southern Methodist University; Dottie Habel, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Carolyn Henne, Florida State University; Janet Hethorn, University of Delaware; Dennis Y. Ichiyama, Purdue University; Bob Kaputof, Virginia Commonwealth University; Deborah Karpman, University of Montevallo; Niku Kashef, California State University, Northridge; David LaPalombara, Ohio University; Beauvais Lyons, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Rebecca Nolan, Savannah College of Art and Design; Anna Novakov, St. Mary’s College of California; Kim Russo, Ringling College of Art and Design; Joe Seipel, Virginia Commonwealth University; Amelia Winger-Bearskin, Vanderbilt University; David Yager, University of California, Santa Cruz; and Sam Yates, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Roundtables

Michael Aurbach, Vanderbilt University; Diane Edison, University of Georgia; Suzanne F. W. Lemakis, Fine Arts Department, Citigroup; Leo Morrissey, Winston-Salem State University; Edward Shanken, University of Amsterdam; and John Silvis, New York Center for Art and Media Studies.

Professional Development Workshops

Susan Altman, Middlesex County College; Michael Aurbach, Vanderbilt University; Barbara Bernstein, Rhode Island School of Design and Virginia Center for the Creative Arts; Steven Bleicher, Coastal Carolina University; Mika Cho, California State University, Los Angeles; Craig Dietrich, University of Southern California; Tara McPherson, University of Southern California; Nicholas Mirzoeff, New York University; Joan Saab, University of Rochester; Susan Schear, ArtIsIn; David M. Sokol, University of Illinois, Chicago (emeritus); and Blaise Tobia, Drexel University.

Orientation

Michael Aurbach, Vanderbilt University; Margaret Lazzari, University of Southern California; and David M. Sokol, University of Illinois, Chicago (emeritus).

Students and emerging professionals have the opportunity to sign up for a twenty-minute practice interview with a professional at the 2012 Annual Conference in Los Angeles. Organized by the Student and Emerging Professionals Committee, the Mock Interview Sessions give participants the chance to practice their interview skills one on one with a seasoned professional, improve their effectiveness during interviews, and hone their elevator speech. Interviewers also provide candid feedback on application packets.

Mock Interview Sessions are offered free of charge. Sessions are filled by appointment only and scheduled for Thursday, February 23, 10:00 AM–NOON and 4:00–6:00 PM; and Friday, February 24, 10:00 AM–NOON. Conference registration, while encouraged, is not necessary to participate.

To apply, download, complete, and send the Mock Interview Sessions form to Jennifer Stoneking-Stewart, chair of the Student and Emerging Professionals Committee. You may enroll in one twenty-minute session. Limited onsite enrollment is available for Thursday afternoon only. Onsite reservation starts on Wednesday afternoon, February 22, for spaces on Thursday, February 23, between 4:00 and 6:00 PM. Deadline: February 1, 2012.

You will be notified of your appointment day and time by email. Please bring your application packet, including cover letter, CV, and other materials related to jobs in your field. The Student and Emerging Professionals Committee will make every effort to accommodate all applicants; however, space is limited.

For the 2012 Annual Conference in Los Angeles, the Student and Emerging Professionals Committee seeks established professionals to volunteer as practice interviewers for the Mock Interview Sessions. Participating as an interviewer is an excellent way to serve the field and to assist with the professional development of the next generation of artists and scholars.

In these sessions, interviewers pose as a prospective employer, speaking with individuals in a scenario similar to the Interview Hall at the conference. Each session is composed of approximately 10–15 minutes of interview questions and a quick review of the application packet, followed by 5–10 minutes of candid feedback. Whenever possible, the committee matches interviewers and interviewees based on medium, discipline, or institution type (school, museum, nonprofit, etc.).

Interested candidates must prepared to give six successive twenty-minute interviews with feedback in a two-hour period on one or both of these days: Thursday, February 23, 10:00 AM–NOON and 4:00–6:00 PM; and Friday, February 24, 10:00 AM–NOON. Conference registration, while encouraged, is not required to be a mock interviewer. Art historians and studio artists should be tenured; critics, museum educators, and curators should have five years’ experience. You may volunteer for one, two, or all three Mock Interview Sessions.

Please send a brief letter of interest, your CV, and the days and times that you are available to Jennifer Stoneking-Stewart, chair of the Student and Emerging Professionals Committee. Deadline: January 18, 2012.

The Mock Interview Sessions are not intended as a screening process by institutions seeking new hires.

CAA has designed the Career Services Guide to inform job seekers and employers about placement activities at the 2012 Annual Conference in Los Angeles. The publication, available as a PDF, will help you navigate Career Services events and provides answers to frequently asked questions. Study this guide carefully so that you will know what to expect from conference interviewing and how best to prepare for a successful experience.

Job candidates can review the basics of the conference employment search. Read about the Candidate Center, your home base at the conference, as well as Orientation, an introduction to Career Services where you can ask questions. In addition, learn more about the Online Career Center, where you can search for position listings, post application materials, and arrange interviews. The publication includes tips for improving your CV, portfolio, and supplemental application materials.

Employers will find details in the guide for renting interview booths and tables as well as recommendations for posting jobs and conducting interviews at the conference. You can begin preparations now for Career Services through the Online Career Center or onsite at the Interviewer Center.

Printed copies of the Career Services Guide will be distributed onsite at Orientation and in the Candidate Center. All conference Career Services will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center. For more information about job searching, professional-development workshops, and more, visit the Career Services section of the conference website.

The information on this page has been updated. Please visit the main directories page for the most up-to-date information.

This fall CAA will publish new editions of Graduate Programs in Art History and Graduate Programs in the Visual Arts. As comprehensive resources of schools across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, the guides list over 650 programs in fine art and design, art and architectural history, curatorial studies, arts administration, and more.

Prospective graduate students will find everything they need to know before beginning the application process. The directories are also key professional references for career-services representatives, department chairs, graduate and undergraduate advisors, librarians, professional-practices educators, and professors interested in helping emerging generations of artists and scholars find success.

Graduate Programs in Art History covers four disciplines: Art History, Curatorial and Museum Studies, Arts Administration, and Library Science. This directory integrates programs in visual studies and architectural history into Art History. Similarly, Graduate Programs in the Visual Arts comprises four areas: Studio Art and Design, Art Education, Film Production, and Conservation and Historic Preservation. Studio Art and Design combines programs in fine art with those in graphic, industrial, and object design.

Organized alphabetically by school name within each discipline noted above, entries describe curricula, class size, faculty specializations, admission and degree requirements, library and studio facilities, opportunities for fellowships and assistantships, and more. Readers can draw important conclusions from these facts, such as the competitiveness of a program based on the amount of applications received and accepted. Need health insurance or housing while in school? Many programs provide details about what they offer.

The directories are available in multiple print and digital formats, as books, ebooks, and downloadable PDFs. The complete volumes of each directory are only available in print.

Print

The complete Graduate Programs in Art History and Graduate Programs in the Visual Arts cost $41 each for CAA members and $51 for nonmembers, plus shipping and handling.

You can also order all entries within five of the eight disciplines as discrete perfect-bound, soft-cover books. The prices below do not include shipping and handling:

Art History: $22
Art Education: $18
Curatorial and Museums Studies: $16
Film Production: $15

The three remaining disciplines—Arts Administration, Library Science, and Conservation and Historic Preservation—are available only as ebooks and cannot be ordered as discipline-specific books.

Individuals can order both directories and the discipline-specific books through the CAA website (link forthcoming). If you are ordering for a school, institution, or department within a college or university, please download the PDF form (forthcoming) and return the completed version with payment to Roberta Lawson, CAA office coordinator, who will ship the directories to you within two business days of your purchase.

Ebooks

All entries within a particular discipline may be ordered as single ebooks. After placing your order on the CAA website, you will receive an email with a link(s) to the ebook(s). Each ebook can be downloaded a limited number of times and will be compatible with your personal computer and most smart phones and ereaders (excluding Kindles).

You can also order all entries within five of the eight disciplines as ebooks:

Art History: $22
Art Education: $18
Curatorial and Museums Studies: $16
Film Production: $15
Studio Art and Design: $26

Ebooks of all entries in Arts Administration, Library Science, and Conservation and Historic Preservation are priced as follows:

Arts Administration: $14
Conservation and Historic Preservation: $14
Library Science: $12

Ebooks can only be ordered through the CAA website (link forthcoming).

Sets of Entries

Individuals can search the directories by discipline, faculty specialization, country, region, state, degree type, and availability of health insurance via the CAA website and download PDFs of entries from either or both directories for $2 per entry (up to twenty entries). Upon ordering the entries, you will receive an email with a link to a single PDF containing the entries you have selected.

Contact

Questions about ordering? Please contact Roberta Lawson, CAA office coordinator, at 212-392-4404.

For the 100th Annual Conference in Los Angeles, taking place February 22–25, 2012, CAA seeks established professionals in the visual arts to volunteer as mentors for two Career Services programs: the Artists’ Portfolio Review and Career Development Mentoring. Participating as a mentor is an excellent way to serve the field and to assist the professional growth of the next generation of artists and scholars.

Art historians and studio artists must be tenured; critics, museum educators, and curators must have five years’ experience. Curators and educators must be currently employed by a museum or university gallery.

Artists’ Portfolio Review

CAA seeks artists, critics, curators, and educators to serve in the Artists’ Portfolio Review. In this program, mentors review and provide feedback on digital images or DVDs of work by artist members in personal twenty-minute consultations. Whenever possible, CAA matches artists and mentors based on medium or discipline. Mentors provide an important service to artists, enabling them to receive professional criticism of their work.

Interested candidates must be current CAA members and prepared to give five successive twenty-minute critiques in a two-hour period on one of the two days of the review: Thursday, February 23, and Friday, February 24, 2012, 8:00 AM–NOON and 1:00–5:00 PM each day. Conference registration, while encouraged, is not required to be a mentor. Please send your CV and a brief letter of interest to Lauren Stark, CAA manager of programs. Deadline: January 6, 2012.

Career Development Mentoring

CAA seeks mentors from all areas of studio art, art history, art education, film and video, graphic design, the museum professions, and other related fields to serve in Career Development Mentoring. In this program, mentors give valuable advice to emerging and midcareer professionals, reviewing cover letters, CVs, digital images, and other pertinent job-search materials in personal twenty-minute consultations. Whenever possible, CAA matches participants and mentors based on medium or discipline.

Interested candidates must be current CAA members and prepared to give five successive twenty-minute critiques in a two-hour period on one of the two days of the review: Thursday, February 23, and Friday, February 24, 2012, 8:00 AM–NOON and 1:00–5:00 PM each day. Conference registration, while encouraged, is not required to be a mentor. Please send your CV and a brief letter of interest to Lauren Stark, CAA manager of programs. Deadline: January 6, 2012.

Career Development Mentoring is not intended as a screening process by institutions seeking new hires. CAA does not accept applications from individuals whose departments are conducting a faculty search in the field in which they are mentoring. Mentors should not be attending the conference as candidates for positions in the same field in which mentees may be applying.

As a CAA member, you have access to a diverse range of mentors at Career Services during the 100th Annual Conference, taking place February 22–25, 2012, in Los Angeles, California. All emerging, midcareer, and even advanced art professionals can benefit from one-on-one discussions with dedicated mentors about artists’ portfolios, career-management skills, and professional strategies.

You may enroll in either the Artists’ Portfolio Review or Career Development Mentoring—please choose one. Participants are chosen by a lottery of applications received by the deadline; all applicants are notified of their scheduled date and time slot by email by February 3, 2012. Both sessions are offered free of charge. Conference registration, while encouraged, is not necessary to participate. All applicants must be current CAA members.

Artists’ Portfolio Review

The Artists’ Portfolio Review offers CAA members the opportunity to have digital images or DVDs of their work reviewed by artists, critics, curators, and educators in personal twenty-minute consultations. Whenever possible, CAA matches artists and mentors based on medium or discipline. You may bring battery-powered laptops; wireless internet, however, is not available in the room. Sessions are filled by appointment only and are scheduled for Thursday, February 23, and Friday, February 24, 2012, 8:00 AM–NOON and 1:00–5:00 PM each day.

To apply, download and complete the Career Development Enrollment Form or fill out the paper form in the 2012 Conference Information and Registration booklet, which will be mailed to all individual and institutional CAA members in October 2011. Send the completed form by email to Lauren Stark, CAA manager of programs; by fax to 212-627-2381; or by mail to: Artists’ Portfolio Review, College Art Association, 50 Broadway, 21st Floor, New York, NY 10004. Deadline extended: January 30, 2012.

Career Development Mentoring

Artists, art historians, art educators, and museum professionals at all stages of their careers may apply for one-on-one consultations with veterans in their fields. Through personal twenty-minute consultations, Career Development Mentoring offers a unique opportunity for participants to receive candid advice on how to conduct a thorough job search; present cover letters, CVs, and digital images; and prepare for interviews. Whenever possible, CAA matches participants and mentors based on medium or discipline. Sessions are filled by appointment only and are scheduled for Thursday, February 23, and Friday, February 24, 2012, 8:00 AM–NOON and 1:00–5:00 PM each day.

To apply, download and complete the Career Development Enrollment Form or fill out the paper form in the 2012 Conference Information and Registration booklet, which will be mailed to all individual and institutional CAA members in October 2011. Send the completed form by email to Lauren Stark, CAA manager of programs; by fax to 212-627-2381; or by mail to: Career Development Mentoring, College Art Association, 50 Broadway, 21st Floor, New York, NY 10004. Deadline extended: January 30, 2012.

CAA, in partnership with the School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCUarts), will present its next National Professional-Development Workshop for Artists at the Grace Street Theater on Saturday, October 1, 2011. The one-day event, called “Toolkit for a Sustainable Life in the Arts: Ideas XS, S, M, L, XL,” will explore strategies for launching, renewing, and sustaining a career in the arts.

“Toolkit for a Sustainable Life in the Arts” will take place 8:00 AM–7:00 PM at VCUarts, Grace Street Theater, 934 West Grace Street, Richmond, VA 23284 (map). The workshop is free for all VCUarts students, faculty, and staff; $25 for all other participants. A limited number of stipends are available; please contact Susan Schear, CAA national workshop project consultant, at 973-482-1000 for more information.

Check-in and registration begin at 8:00 AM, with a complimentary continental breakfast and an opportunity for group networking. At 9:00 AM, Aaron Landsman, a renowned playwright, actor, and teacher, will deliver the keynote address, “Exploring How a Life in the Arts Can Be Sustained.” Next, the artist Karen Atkinson, also an independent curator and the founder of GYST, will present “Analog Toolkit: Pragmatic Strategies for Creating Opportunities.”

After a buffet lunch (included in the registration fee), Peter Baldes, an artist and VCUarts professor in the Department of Painting and Printmaking, will lead workshop participants through “2.0 Toolkit: Extending Opportunities through Social Media, Web Presence, and New Distribution Channels.” Next, two speakers—Sarah Cunningham, former director of arts education for the National Endowment for the Arts and now VCUarts director of research, and Melissa Potter, an artist and faculty member in the Interdisciplinary Arts Department at Columbia College Chicago—will present “Solvent Toolkit: Realizing Grant Opportunities.”

The final panel, “DIY Toolkits: Innovative Models for Making Art and Collaborating with an Engaged Community,” moderated by Jack Risley, VCUarts associate dean of academic affairs, will consist of three VCUarts professors with diverse artistic practices: Kendall Buster and Corin Hewitt from the Department of Sculpture and Extended Media and Hope Ginsburg of the Department of Painting and Printmaking. A Q&A session will conclude the workshop.

Following the workshop, VCUarts cordially invites participants to a networking reception at its Anderson Gallery (907½ West Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23284), to be held 5:30–7:00 PM. The exhibition Environment and Object: Recent African Art will be on view.

Registration for the workshop is first-come, first-served. Because space is limited, CAA encourages you to register in advance. Participants from VCUarts should contact Susan Schear at 973-482-1000; please include your name, mailing address, and telephone number in your voicemail or email to receive a confirmation for registration. All others can pay by credit card, debit card, or PayPal. If paying with cash or by check at the door, or if requesting a stipend, please contact Susan Schear and include your name, mailing address, and telephone number in your voicemail or email.

Partners

The School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University comprises sixteen programs in fine art, design, the performing arts and art history. The main campus in Richmond hosts more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students in the arts, while a sister campus in Doha, Qatar, counts 214 students enrolled in five programs. VCUarts has grown to become the top American public university for the visual arts, as ranked by US News and World Report.

Founded in 1911, the College Art Association serves the needs and interests of 13,000 individual and 2,000 institutional members. It publishes two scholarly journals in art history, an online reviews journal for books and exhibitions, a weekly email newsletter, and a website with news about the organization, its members, and the larger art and academic worlds. CAA also hosts an Annual Conference for 4,000 to 7,000 artists, art historians, and students, provides career counseling, and advocates for national issues in the visual arts.

CAA, in partnership with Artworks and Arts Plan New Jersey, will present its next National Professional-Development Workshop for Artists at the Mill Hill Playhouse on Saturday, May 14, 2011. The one-day event, called “Achieving Success as a Visual Artist: Your Art Practice Made Real,” will address important career issues for visual artists and provide them with valuable skills, resources, best practices, and networking techniques to help meet their professional goals.

“Achieving Success as a Visual Artist” will take place 9:00 AM–5:00 PM at the Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton, NJ 08611. Registration is $15 for students, seniors, and CAA members; $25 for all other participants. A limited number of stipends are available; please contact Susan Schear, CAA national workshop project consultant, at 973-482-1000 for more information.

The day will begin at 8:00 AM with registration, check-in, and an opportunity for group networking; complimentary coffee will be served. At 9:00 AM, Judith K. Brodsky, the renowned printmaker and founder of the Brodsky Center for Innovative Editions, will give a keynote presentation that reflects on her personal journey and her vision as an arts leader. Next, the artist and educator Michelle Hinebrook will present a seminar on “Artists: Maximize Your Marketing through Social Media, Websites, Print Materials, and Networking.” The afternoon panel, to address “Linking Artists to Opportunities: Galleries, Grants, Residencies, and Public Spaces,” will feature five successful women in the arts: Diane Burko, artist and professor; Dahlia Elsayed, artist and educator; Kat Griefen, curator and director of A.I.R. Gallery; Teresa Jaynes, artist, curator, and director of Philagrafika; and Lin Swensson, artist, professor, dealer, and arts consultant. For the lunch break at noon, attendees can either buy a $8 lunch onsite or bring their own.

Participants can continue experiencing the arts in Trenton after the workshop ends. The Candlelight Lounge (24 Passaic Street) will host a postworkshop networking reception during its Saturday afternoon jazz series, and the Passage Theatre will offer group rates for its production of Samuel J. and K., to be presented at the Mill Hill Playhouse at 8:00 PM.

Registration for the workshop is first-come, first-served; space is limited. You can pay by credit card or PayPal. If paying with cash or by check at the door, or if requesting a stipend, please contact Susan Schear at 973-482-1000 and include your name, mailing address, and telephone number.

Partners

Artworks, a center for the visual arts in downtown Trenton, has offered classes, exhibitions, and events for over twenty years, serving professional, aspiring, and visionary artists throughout central New Jersey and the Delaware Valley.

Conceived by almost 1,000 citizens, cultural leaders, and government officials in all sectors, Arts Plan New Jersey is a blueprint to create a better New Jersey through and for the arts. Its statewide agenda harnesses the power of the arts to enrich and inspire individuals and to address civic challenges such as the economy, education, community development, and cultural understanding. One of Arts Plan’s six goals is to “foster a strong network of support for artists.”

Founded in 1911, the College Art Association serves the needs and interests of 12,000 individual and 2,000 institutional members. It publishes two scholarly journals in art history, an online reviews journal for books and exhibitions, a weekly email newsletter, and a website with news about the organization, its members, and the larger art and academic worlds. CAA also hosts an Annual Conference for 4,000 to 6,000 artists, art historians, and students, provides career counseling, and advocates for national issues in the visual arts.

CAA will present its next National Professional-Development Workshop for Artists at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), in partnership with the Baltimore Museum of Art, on Saturday, March 26, 2011. The one-day event, called “Galleries, Grants, and Networking: Effective Strategies for Artists to Make It Happen,” will address important career issues for visual artists and provide them with valuable skills, resources, best practices, and networking suggestions to help meet their professional goals.

“Galleries, Grants, and Networking” will take place 9:00 AM–5:00 PM on the MICA campus: Brown Center, Falvey Hall, 1301 West Mt. Royal Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21217. Registration is free for MICA students, alumni, faculty and staff; $15 for all other participants. A limited number of stipends are available; please contact Susan Schear, CAA national workshop project consultant, at 973-482-1000 for more information.

The day will begin at 8:00 AM with registration, check-in, and an opportunity for group networking; complimentary coffee will be served. At 9:00 AM, Doreen Bolger, director of the Baltimore Museum of Art, will give a keynote presentation. Next, René Treviño will lead a panel discussion on “Leveraging Opportunities for Your Artwork” with Julie Cavnor, George Hemphill, and Jack Rasmussen. The three afternoon presentations are “Compelling Grant Writing” with Deborah Bedwell; “Maximizing Social Media and Networking” with Cara Ober; and “Realizing Your Goals” with Susan Schear.

A postworkshop reception, taking place 5:00–6:00 PM, will conclude the day’s program. Workshop participants can either bring their lunch or take advantage of a $10 all-you-can-eat buffet at MICA.

Participants from MICA and those requesting stipends must register in advance; please contact Susan Schear at 973-482-1000 and include your name, mailing address, and telephone number. All others can register and pay by credit card or PayPal. If paying with cash or by check at the door, you must still register in advance; call or email Susan Schear.

Sponsors

Established in 1826, Maryland Institute College of Art is the oldest continuously operating degree-granting school of art and design in the United States. It enrolls more than 2,000 undergraduate, graduate, and continuing-studies students and offers degrees and noncredit programs in fine art, design, electronic media, art education, the liberal arts, and professional studies. MICA has pioneered interdisciplinary approaches to art and design education, emphasizing innovation, research, and community and social engagement. The school’s alumni and programming reach around the globe, even as the school remains a cultural cornerstone in the Baltimore and Washington, DC, regions, hosting hundreds of exhibitions and events annually by students, faculty, and emerging and established artists.

The Baltimore Museum of Art is home to an internationally renowned collection of nineteenth-century, modern, and contemporary art—including the largest holding of works by Henri Matisse in the world. Among the museum’s 90,000 works are an outstanding selection of European and American fine and decorative arts; prints and drawings from the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries; contemporary art by established and emerging artists; objects from Africa, Asia, the ancient Americas, and Pacific Islands; and two beautifully landscaped sculpture gardens. The museum organizes and presents a variety of dynamic exhibitions and innovative programs and hosts special events with cultural and educational partners. Thanks to extraordinary government and private support, general museum admission is free.

Founded in 1911, the College Art Association serves the needs and interests of 12,000 individual and 2,000 institutional members. It publishes two scholarly journals in art history, an online reviews journal for books and exhibitions, a weekly email newsletter, and a website with news about the organization, its members, and the larger art and academic worlds. CAA also hosts an Annual Conference for 4,000 to 6,000 artists, art historians, and students, provides career counseling, and advocates for national issues in the visual arts.