Led by Faculty Nate Larson and Veronica Melendez, MICA students will spend three weeks in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from May 22 - June 13, 2026.  

Port to Port: From Baltimore to Buenos Aires is a short-term travel intensive that will spend three weeks in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina and a vibrant port city with a rich architecture and dynamic city life with a deep history of cultural contributions to the visual arts. We will spend our time on site in Buenos Aires exploring the local culture(s), learning about Argentine history and food, meeting with local artists, growing our cultural and global competencies, and producing new artistic fieldwork on site. 

The travel experience is a 6-credit MICA course: PH 375AR: Narrative Strategies. The studio course is structured to explore ideas of narrative and storytelling through the photographic medium. We are additionally interested in the intersection of the photograph with multidisciplinary methods and other forms of sequential art, including animation, video, illustration, collage, and other hybrid methods and media.

In the tradition of the best visual storytelling, students will traverse and explore the city of Buenos Aires, connecting with the people, music, social fabric, urban landscape, and most importantly, reflecting on their own positionality in the global community. We will meet  with Argentine artists and photographers to learn about their work through artist talks and studio visits. 

We will build our cultural competencies through visits to area museums, art galleries, and cultural centers, including the Fundación Larivière Fotografía Latinoamericana, Museo de Arte Moderno, Fundación Proa, and Centro Cultural Recoleta. And, we will, of course, create flexible time for individual and small group exploration of the city.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

Do I need previous experience in Photography?
Our program is open to all levels, from beginner to advanced. The faculty will work with each student to develop their photography skills and vision, meeting you where you are for maximum success! 

Do I need a camera?
You may borrow one from MICA or work with one that you already have!

What will we do there? 
So much! We will meet with artists in their studios, visit galleries & museums, eat good food, participate in local artist-led workshops, and make amazing new photographs (and friends!)

Where will we stay?
We have a hotel partner with individual rooms for students, located in the San Telmo neighborhood in Buenos Aires. There are lots of food options near the hotel, as well as the Mercado San Telmo, which is a shopping and eating delight. 

Are meals included?
The hotel includes a simple breakfast. Lunch and dinner are the responsibility of the student. Exchange rates are favorable, but we suggest $600 - $800 for the trip, which should provide a comfortable cushion. 

Where will we make art? 
As a travel intensive, we will be working itinerantly, adapting to different situations and carving out workspaces in our travels. We will convene as a group in a common space in the hotel, but we will adapt depending on where we are in the city and which guests we are working with. Each student will also be able to use their individual rooms for basic workspace, in addition to our rotating gathering points. 

What should I bring?
We recommend that you travel as lightly and compactly as possible. Our preference is one carry-on-sized bag for clothes and one carry-on-sized bag for camera / computer / art supplies. We suggest three pairs of pants, four tops, enough undergarments and socks for a week, one set of sleep clothes, one pair of good walking shoes, and one pair of shower shoes. Merino wool socks can also be worn many times without smell. Laundry in Buenos Aires is predominantly drop-off-wash-and-fold. It’s also very cheap. It’s better to bring less and wash more. 

What’s the weather? 
Buenos Aires is in the southern hemisphere and, as such, the seasons are reversed. While we will be leaving summer temperatures here, it will be late-fall, early-winter there. You can expect the temperatures to be between 66° - 53° towards the beginning of our trip and between 60°- 48° towards the end. It may even dip into the lower 40°s. It is best to dress in layers. We’ll talk more about this in our orientation meetings. 

What’s the money situation there? 
Argentina is a highly cash-based country that uses the Argentine Peso. You must bring US Dollars in cash, which we will trade for Argentine Pesos at a very strong exchange rate. Credit Cards are accepted in some places with a high surcharge, but many shops and restaurants do not accept them at all. We will discuss this in more detail during the orientation meetings. 

Should I be concerned about personal safety? 
Buenos Aires is the second largest city in South America. Just like any other big city, it is important to be vigilant and situationally aware. Partially due to a reliance on cash and larger systemic inequality, Buenos Aires has a fair amount of petty crime, especially pickpocketing. We will discuss personal safety precautions. If you’re comfortable in NYC and Baltimore, you’ll be comfortable there. 

What scholarship support is available?
MICA has endowed funds designated for short-term study abroad programs like this one. The amounts available will vary with student need, but we’ll do our best to make it possible for high-need students to be able to join.

Additionally, we have a donor that has fully funded one student’s experience, including airfare and meals, to be selected by the program faculty based on merit and need.

Please visit the Office of International Education to learn more about the program and to apply for Summer 2026.