MICA Celebrates 200 Years
Welcome to the Bicentennial of the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)!
Community Stories
Featured Kicking it off
January 10, 2026 — Charter Day — marked the official launch of the Bicentennial, with an Opening Celebration for the entire MICA Community held on January 21.
Highlights from MICA’s Bicentennial Kickoff Celebration
President McCormick Delivers Speech in Celebration of Bicentennial
The Celebration event marked the first public event in honor of MICA’s 200-year anniversary
MICA Launches New Strategic Initiatives for the Bicentennial Year
BALTIMORE, MD —The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) announced today the launch of new strategic initiatives to accelerate innovation…
MICA’s Next Century of Creative Impact
MICA’s Professional Studio: Spring 2026 Course Launch
Latest
The Culture MICA Built
Frankie Martin, Ed.D.; Retired Staff, MICA’s first Diversity Officer
Pure Line, Lasting Legacy
Betty Cooke ’46 (Art Education BFA)
Sharing the MICA love
From Betty Cooke ’46 and William Steinmetz ’50, whose partnership transformed art, design, and generations of students, to Andrea Dixon ’88 and…
Exhibiting MICA’s Spirit
Andrea Dixon ’88 (Visual Communication BFA); Director, Office of Exhibitions
MICA Love Connections
This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating all kinds of love, especially the kind sparked in studios, critiques, hallways, and late nights on…
MICA Memories: Athenaeum Fire in 1835
Excerpted and adapted from Making History / Making Art, by Douglas L. Frost.
MICA’s Fête of Lights Gala on CBS Mornings
On February 10, the hosts of CBS Morning welcomed MICA’s associate vice president for advancement Sara Warren, and invited the greater Baltimore…
Turning Tides into Tableware
Alexandra Ozga ’26, ’27 (Ceramics BFA, MAT)
Poetry, Possibility, and the Power of Community
Unique Robinson, Director of MICA’s MFA Community Arts Program
Making is thinking
For retired faculty member Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither, textiles has always been a vehicle for connection. Through story quilts and community-based…
Finding Material and Meaning
Mia Weiner ’13 (Fiber BFA)
Between Threads and Algorithms
Kurina Sohn ’15 (Fiber BFA)
Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither
Faculty Emeritus; Creator of the Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither Young People's Studios Scholarship
Listen Now: President McCormick on WYPR
President Cecilia McCormick joined the WYPR Midday program host Tom Hall for a conversation about MICA’s impact, leadership, and future as the…
A Beauty, Chaotic Harmony
Joseph “Joe” Taylor, Alumnus, General Fine Arts ’25
Creative Intensity
Raymond Barclay, Senior Vice President for Enrollment Strategy, Innovation, and Partnerships
What sets MICA apart?
It’s the College’s creative intensity, where disciplines intersect, making is central, and experimentation is expected.
“At MICA, students experience…
MICA President Cecilia McCormick Interviewed on WYPR’s Midday
President McCormick speaks with Midday's Tom Hall on the College’s bicentennial and its enduring community impacts.
A Creative Community for Life
From the earliest days on campus, MICA students have found a community that shaped who they would become.
The World is His Studio
Frank Hyder ’72 (General Fine Arts BFA), Annual Fund Supporter
A Heart in Art
Andrea “Remmi” Franklin ’74 (General Fine Arts BFA), Alumna, Donor
Art Opens Lives
Carolyn Campbell ’72 (Interior Design BFA)
Showing Up
Nia Parks ’26 (Community Arts MFA)
Ouroboros Exhibition Opens February 5
February 5–March 8, 2026 Meyerhoff Gallery, Fox Building 1303 W Mount Royal Ave
Admission: FREE and open to the public Gallery Hours: Monday…
Rooted/Growing Exhibition Opens February 2
MICA’s Exhibition Development Seminar (EDS) Presents Its 2026 Exhibition Celebrating and Reflecting on 200 Years of MICA and the Intertwined…
Follow What Makes You Happy
Dominique Samarco ’16 (Painting BFA)
The Confidence to Create
At MICA, students don’t just learn techniques. They discover their voice, their confidence, and their purpose.
Art Meeting Life
Artie Sadahiro ’26, Student (Ecosystems, Sustainability, and Justice BFA, Printmaking Minor, Painting Minor)
Layered Creativity
Martin Knuppel ’26 (Illustration & Printmaking BFA, Sequential Arts & Book Arts Minors)
Tomorrow’s Makers
What does it feel like to visit MICA for the first time as a prospective student? For Elielle Kayomb ’25 (Painting BFA, MAT Candidate), it…
MICA and Baltimore: A Shared Story
Explore MICA’s deep relationship with Baltimore—how the city shapes the institution, and how MICA contributes creatively, culturally, and…
Highlights from MICA’s Bicentennial Kickoff Celebration
President McCormick Delivers Speech in Celebration of Bicentennial
The Celebration event marked the first public event in honor of MICA’s 200-year anniversary
MICA’s Next Century of Creative Impact
MICA’s Professional Studio: Spring 2026 Course Launch
MICA's History: A Past That Builds the Future
MICA Launches New Strategic Initiatives for the Bicentennial Year
BALTIMORE, MD —The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) announced today the launch of new strategic initiatives to accelerate innovation…
Global footprint and impact
Carrying the Light Forward
Elielle Kayomb ’25 (Painting BFA ’25), MAT Candidate, 5-Year BFA/MAT Program
Balancing Rigor and Compassion
C. Ryan Patterson ’06 (General Sculptural Studies BFA)
A Creative Citizen
Nate Larson, Full-Time Faculty, Photography
Finding a Voice at MICA
Oletha DeVane ’76 (Painting, BFA), Alumna
Where Mentorship Becomes Making
Three Stories. One MICA Difference.
So, Who Is MICA, Really?
MICA is a place where art and design meet purpose.
Opening Doors for Others
Natovian McLeod ’15 (General Fine Arts BFA), ’16 (MAT)
Designed for Impact
Clay that remembers. A voice fully claimed.
Clay that remembers
Morel S. Doucet, Alum, Ceramics BFA’13, recipient of the C. Louise Mullan Flanigan ’34 Scholarship
From One Building to an Influential Art and Design Hub
MICA’s campus tells a story of growth, imagination, and reinvention, one written not only in its name, but in brick, glass, and light.
Designing Legacies
Ellen Lupton Faculty, Graphic Design MFA program
Making a Mark
Laura Bacon, Creative Entrepreneurship / Community Engagement,
Director, Baltimore Creatives Acceleration Network (BCAN),
Interim Director…
Shared Ground
Lee Tawney, President, Bolton Hill Community Association
A Collaborative in Glass
Steve Ziger and Jamie Snead, Architects of MICA’s Brown Center and 1801 Falls Road Renovation
Name Change
What’s in a Name? At MICA, everything.
Tracing Threads from 1826 to 2026
Victoria “Vicky” Pass, PhD, Chair, History of Art, Design, and Visual Culture
Telling the MICA Story
MICA began when a group of Baltimore’s leading citizens gathered to imagine a new kind of educational institution. Led by 22-year-old John H…
MICA Celebrates 200 Years
Welcome to the Bicentennial of the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)!
Making Sense, Making a Difference
Bill Gaskins (Photography MFA ’95), Founding Director, Photography + Media & Society, MFA (P+M&S))
The Smart Art School
Ruth Toulson, PhD, Professor, Studio and Humanistic Studies and Assistant Dean for Research
Share Your Memories / Help us include your favorite memories in our Bicentennial celebration. Submit your stories and images using the link below.
MICA's Bicentennial: Celebrating Two Centuries
Join the festivities as MICA honors its 200-year history, recognizes its present success, and looks forward to a bright future. Throughout 2026, the College will be sharing community stories and announcing one-of-a-kind events on campus, in Baltimore, and beyond.