For 200 years, we’ve been a community of makers, thinkers, and educators who believe creativity is not separate from the world, but essential to shaping it.

Here, students are challenged to experiment, ask hard questions, and connect their work to culture, history, and impact. Faculty bring deep expertise and lived practice. Together, they create a learning environment defined by rigor, curiosity, and care.

As Professor Ruth Toulson, professor, Studio and Humanistic Studies, puts it: “Here, I saw a community that treated learning as a form of making. That difference was powerful.” She calls MICA “the smart art school,” where studio practice and liberal arts don’t just sit side by side but actively reshape one another.

And for Natovian McLeod ’15, ’16 (MAT), that same spirit is deeply human: “MICA believed in me before I believed in myself. And now I try to pass that forward.” It’s a place that doesn’t just teach technique; it invests in people, invites risk, and nurtures artists who build community as they build their practice.

MICA isn’t just what we teach. It’s how we think, make, and imagine — together.

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.

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